Prosecutors to seize Tommy's assets in W. Java
JAKARTA (JP): South Jakarta prosecutors found out on Friday that all private assets belonging to fugitive Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra in Jakarta had been transferred to other parties.
Head of the prosecutor's office, Antasari Azhar, said the prosecutors would now focus on Tommy's other properties in West Java, including two plots in Serang, some 90 kilometers west of here, and in Bogor, some 60 kilometers south of here.
"We have stopped our efforts to seize Tommy's remaining 17 assets in Jakarta. Four of them are concessions, some have been handed over to several of his own foundations or to banks as a collateral of his debts," Antasari told journalists at his office.
"Now we will gather accurate data on the properties. If those assets are Tommy's concessions or belonging to companies, we cannot take them."
Tommy, the youngest son of former president Soeharto, also owns a racing circuit in Sentul, Bogor.
He went missing when he was about to serve his 18-month prison sentence in Cipinang penitentiary, East Jakarta for corruption and was declared a fugitive on Nov. 3.
The prosecutors have started seizure of his properties as collateral for his obligation to pay some Rp 30.6 billion as ordered by the Supreme Court.
The sum was part of state losses he caused in the 1995 land swap deal between his wholesaler firm PT Goro Batara Sakti and the State Logistics Agency (Bulog).
The prosecutors sealed Tommy's homes on Jl. Cendana No. 12 and Jl. Yusuf Adiwinata No. 4 in the Menteng area, Central Jakarta last Tuesday, but failed to seize three plots of land on Jl. Raya Pasar Minggu, South Jakarta on Thursday.
"The 2.8 hectares of land had been used as collateral to Bank Bumi Daya in 1996," he said.
One of Tommy's megastores Goro was built on the land. The building was burned down and looted during the mass riot in May 1998 prior to his father's resignation.
Antasari further said that according to data he received from the National Land Agency (BPN), one of Tommy's plots of land on Jl. H. Abdul Majid in Cinere, South Jakarta, had been given to singer Maya Rumantir, four days after he bought it in 1992.
Questioning
Separately on Friday, National Police spokesman Sr. Supt. Timbul Sianturi said that the police had summoned more people for questioning over Tommy's disappearance scheduled for Monday.
"These people have been summoned since they are presumed to know Tommy's whereabouts," Timbul told reporters at the Police headquarters.
The persons were Tommy's sister Siti Hutami Endang Adiningsih, also known as Mamiek, President Director of PT Timor Putra Nusantara Sujasmin Lubis, two secretaries of PT Humpuss, namely, Aan and Tiya.
The two companies are owned by Tommy.
The questioning of Tommy's wife, Ardhia Pramesti Rigita Cahyani, better known as Tata, has been rescheduled for Monday after she failed to meet the police summons on Thursday, Timbul said.
Timbul said that if proven to know Tommy's whereabouts, the people could be charged under Article 221 of the Criminal Code with protecting and hiding a criminal and could face a jail sentence of up to nine years.
President Abdurrahman Wahid, fresh from his overseas trip, told an unscheduled media conference at the Merdeka Palace on Friday he would evaluate the two weeks search for Tommy.
Abdurrahman said the evaluation would be held with his spokesman Wimar Witoelar and "other concerned parties" late on Friday. He did not give further details.
"We will conduct an honest and objective evaluation on whether (the search) has been carried out properly or not," he said.
"The most important thing is that the authorities must work properly," the President said, adding that he would "take action" if Tommy was not captured. (jaw/bby/byg)