Seized cars of Tommy illegal, say police

Seized cars of Tommy illegal, say police

JAKARTA (JP): Seven of ten impounded cars, believed to belong
to fugitive Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra, are suspected of being
illegally imported, an officer claimed on Friday.

City police spokesman Sr. Comr. Anton Bachrul Alam said the
cars did not come with complete documentation, such as ownership
papers and purchase receipts.

"Since they do not have the proper documents or license
plates, we assume they were smuggled in," he said.

"The police will look into the matter," Anton quickly added.

Anton, however, could not name all the vehicles, but said
among them were a Lamborghini jeep, a BMW sport sedan, a Cadillac
and a Ford sedan.

Police raided late on Wednesday an automotive workshop, Reza
Jaya Motor 81, owned by Hardjuni, and confiscated ten cars which
were said to belong to Tommy.

Tommy has been on the run since November last year when he was
sentenced to 18 months in jail for graft connected with a land
exchange deal between his company PT Goro Batara Sakti and the
State Logistics Agency (Bulog).

Three other cars, according to Anton, belonged to Hardjuni's
customers but he did not give any details.

The raid was made after police received information from
nearby residents who said that Tommy was often seen entering and
leaving the automotive workshop located on Jl. Pahlawan, Kebon
Jeruk, West Jakarta.

Jakarta Police have planned to summon his brother-in-law to
verify the ownership of the vehicles, following the seizure.

"In the near future, we will summon Tito as a witness to
verify who is the owner of the cars," Anton said, referring to
Pratikto Prayitno Singgih, the husband of Tommy's younger sister,
Siti Hutami "Mamiek" Endang Adiningsih.

Anton said Tito was the one who took the cars to Hardjuni's
workshop and arranged payment of Rp 6 million (US$706) per month.
Tito entrusted the cars to Hardjuni in 1997 shortly after former
president Soeharto resigned.

Other witnesses, all Hardjuni's six employees, were released
after they underwent questioning on Thursday.

During the raid detectives also apprehended Adj. First Insp.
Suwardi for allegedly deserting the South Jakarta Police and
working as a security guard at the workshop.

"Suwardi is now being investigated by our internal affairs
department. If he is found guilty, he will be sanctioned," Anton
said.

Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Sofjan Jacoeb said that the
police would reevaluate its manhunt for Tommy on Sept. 12, but
did not say whether the operation would be continued.

The chief of detectives of Jakarta Police, Sr. Comr. Adang
Rochana confessed on Wednesday of being very tired of searching
for fugitive Tommy, as it has used all its resources during the
unsuccessful manhunt, which had lasted for more than 10 months.
(emf)