Ria case will not be frozen: Singgih

JAKARTA (JP): Attorney General Singgih has guaranteed that the case of a young businessman who was found dead of a drug overdose in the house of starlet Ria Irawan earlier this year will not be discontinued.

Speaking to reporters here Thursday, Singgih said that the dossiers are still being studied by the Jakarta High Prosecutor's Office for their completeness before being sent to trial.

"Therefore, it's untrue that the case is frozen," Singgih told reporters here.

The South Jakarta prosecutor's office had returned the dossiers twice to the police due to lack of important elements, asking the police to complete the documents.

The dossiers state that the 24-year-old actress violated at least two articles of the criminal code in connection with the death of businessman Rifardi Soekarnoputra, 22, in her house in Lebak Bulus, South Jakarta, on Jan. 12.

Police said Ria failed to report to the police the possession and use of illegal drugs by the deceased, and that she is also alleged to have disposed of vital material evidence that could have given clues to the death of her ex-boyfriend.

Ria could face a one-year jail term or a maximum fine of Rp 1 million ($472) for the first charge and another maximum prison term of four years for the second.

Reliable sources at the prosecutor's office said that the dossiers, despite the inclusion of new facts by the police, still "lack substantial elements required by law."

Thus, the sources estimate that the dossiers could fail the standard prerequisites for being brought to trial.

"The elements given in the dossiers to accuse the actress of committing a criminal act are quite weak. Moreover, it is unusual to charge someone for allegedly disposing of material evidence," said a source, who refused to be identified.

The source admitted, however, that under the existing criminal code, an individual can be charged for tampering with evidence.

"Worst of all," another source added, "in this case, the evidence could not be found by the police."

The source said the main suspect in this case is the deceased, who was believed to have possessed and consumed illegal drugs.

Ria was just a witness to the crime Rifardi committed, the source said. (bsr)