Prosecutor ready for Tommy's capture

Prosecutor ready for Tommy's capture

JAKARTA (JP): In support of the police's effort to capture
fugitive Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra by the end of this year,
the South Jakarta Prosecutor's Office will remain open over the
upcoming holidays.

The head of the South Jakarta Prosecutor's Office, Antasari
Azhar, said on Friday the decision was taken in response to a
statement by National Police chief Gen. Surojo Bimantoro that his
men would capture Tommy by the end of December.

"I take (Bimantoro's statement) as urging by the police to
accomplish our task and capture Tommy.

"As a consequence, none of the prosecutors in this office,
including myself, are allowed to take time off for the Christmas
and Idul Fitri holidays should the police succeed in tracking
down and arresting the convict before the end of the year," he
said after a gathering to mark the breaking of the fast on
Friday.

Earlier this week, National Police Headquarters established
five special teams to locate Tommy, the youngest son of former
president Soeharto, who has been in hiding for 42 days, since his
appeal for a presidential pardon was rejected.

Tommy was found guilty of graft in a 1995 land swap deal which
caused Rp 76.7 billion (US$8.07 million) in losses to the state.
He was sentenced by the Supreme Court on Sept. 22 to serve 18
months in the Cipinang Penitentiary in East Jakarta.

The prosecutors and the police have come under fire for the
escape of Tommy and their failure to apprehend him, one of the
most recognizable men in the country.

Police have swept dozens of houses in the country in search of
Tommy, but to no avail.

On Thursday evening, a radio station reported Tommy had been
captured in Pasuruan, East Java, and was flown back to Jakarta
that night. Police were seen waiting for Tommy at Soekarno-Hatta
International Airport, but the report turned out to be a hoax.

Antasari said his office and the police have received hundreds
of false reports about Tommy, all of which has served to keep
them very busy.

"We always check any information we get, and although the
misleading reports give us a headache we consider these a
challenge to keep up with our work and find Tommy." (bby)