Seek him here, seek him there, seeking Tommy everywhere

M. Taufiqurrahman, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Former president Soeharto's youngest son, Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra, failed once again to testify at a trial in the Central Jakarta District Court. And once again the imperturbable judges gave him more time to decide whether to show up or not.

Tuesday's no-show was the sixth time Tommy failed to turn up to testify during the trial of the religious leader of an Islamic boarding school, Abdullah Sidiq Muin, who is on trial for extorting a total of Rp 15 billion (US$1.76 million) from Tommy.

The prosecutors had earlier received a letter dated Jan. 25 from the warden of Batu Penitentiary on Nusakambangan island, Cilacap, Central Java -- where Tommy is currently serving out his time for organizing the murder of a Supreme Court justice -- stating the Tommy would definitely put in an appearance on Tuesday.

However, another letter, this timed signed by Tommy's lawyer Elza Syarief, and dated Jan. 26, said that he would not be able to attend as he was "sick", the same excuse Elza had given to the judicial panel during the previous hearing on Jan. 13.

Both letters regarding Tommy's appearance were submitted by prosecutor Yunan Hardjaka to the judicial panel, chaired by Judge Saparudin Hasibuan, who during the last hearing had vowed to slap a subpoena on Tommy if he failed to show up again.

Apparently forgetting his own vow, Judge Saparudin then gave Tomy a further two weeks to put in an appearance. "We will reconvene to hear Tommy's testimony on Feb. 10," Saparudin said.

The judges also ordered the other key witnesses, including Tommy's elder sister Siti "Tutut" Hardiyanti Rukmana, to appear at the Feb. 3 hearing.

Defense lawyer Supriyadi said the court proceedings had been turned into a farce by blatant irregularities. "Let the public decide whether this trial is for real," he said after the hearing.

Tommy's testimony is essential in the trial of Sidiq, known as a "spiritual mentor" of former president Abdurrahman Wahid, or Gus Dur as he is familiarly known, who, it is alleged, promised to get Tommy a presidential pardon after he was sentenced to 18 months in jail for graft in 2000.