Spiritual leader extorted me for 15b: Tommy
or
Tommy accuses Muslim cleric of extortion
Damar Harsanto The Jakarta Post Jakarta
After successfully dragging former president Abdurrahman Wahid and Yorrys Raweyai of Pemuda Pancasila into the periphery of his legal troubles, Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra has set his sights on Abdullah Sidiq Muin, filing a lawsuit against the Islamic school leader for alleged extortion of Rp 15 billion.
"Tommy filed a lawsuit (against Sidiq), and the Police have summoned Abdullah Sidiq as a suspect for alleged extortion. We will question Sidiq on Thursday," City Police Chief Insp. Gen. Sofjan Jacoeb said Tuesday.
Along with Sidiq, police also summoned Nur Muhammad Iskandar, the leader of an Islamic school in Tangerang as a witness in the case.
Sidiq denied on Saturday that he had received money from Tommy, but he admitted that he had signed a letter witnessing that Tommy had given Rp 15 billion to a man named Raden Doddy Sumadi.
Doddy had apparently been paid to help arrange the controversial meetings between Tommy and then president Wahid, the subject of which was reportedly negotiations for a presidential pardon.
Sidiq, Wahid's spiritual adviser, also reportedly had a meeting with Tommy and his sister, Siti Hardijanti "Tutut" Rukmana, in November last year.
Observers said earlier that some cases released by Tommy's lawyers, were believed to be aimed at distracting public attention.
Jacoeb also confirmed that Adj.Comr. Hardiman, deputy chief of the detention center who had allowed Tommy to spend the first few days in his office room, was transfered on Monday to another post.
Wearing a blue prison outfit No. 903 and accompanied by his lawyer Wimbiyono Senoaji, Tommy was questioned further by investigators on Tuesday.
The current investigation centers around the murder of Supreme Court Justice Syafiudin Kartasasmita. The final legal preparations for a murder trial are expected to be completed by Thursday.
Meanwhile Sidiq's lawyer, Yuristian, said his client had not received a summons, but was ready to appear before police "to reveal the truth".