Tommy -- a legendary figure
Tommy -- a legendary figure
It has been almost a year since police began their search for
Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra who is living as a fugitive
following the court's decision to sentence him to 18 months in
prison. And the public has been wondering why it has taken so
long for the police to arrest the man. Every member of his family
and his associates have been interrogated by the police and their
houses searched but, incredibly, Tommy managed to escape the net
of justice just in time.
Despite the recent Supreme Court ruling that exonerated Tommy
of corruption charges, the police still want him to appear at
police headquarters as a suspect in the murder of a Supreme Court
judge, Syafiuddin Kartasasmita.
Is he guilty of the murder or has he gone overseas, as many
people fear? Why did he apply for a pardon in the first place if
he was not guilty? And even after being exonerated of charges by
the Supreme Court he still refused to show up. Even his wife and
other members of the Soeharto family can only guess where he is
hiding.
Why does he prefer to live as a fugitive instead of a free
man? One thing can be said for sure -- Tommy has now become a
legendary figure.
GANDHI SUKARDI
Jakarta
It has been almost a year since police began their search for
Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra who is living as a fugitive
following the court's decision to sentence him to 18 months in
prison. And the public has been wondering why it has taken so
long for the police to arrest the man. Every member of his family
and his associates have been interrogated by the police and their
houses searched but, incredibly, Tommy managed to escape the net
of justice just in time.
Despite the recent Supreme Court ruling that exonerated Tommy
of corruption charges, the police still want him to appear at
police headquarters as a suspect in the murder of a Supreme Court
judge, Syafiuddin Kartasasmita.
Is he guilty of the murder or has he gone overseas, as many
people fear? Why did he apply for a pardon in the first place if
he was not guilty? And even after being exonerated of charges by
the Supreme Court he still refused to show up. Even his wife and
other members of the Soeharto family can only guess where he is
hiding.
Why does he prefer to live as a fugitive instead of a free
man? One thing can be said for sure -- Tommy has now become a
legendary figure.
GANDHI SUKARDI
Jakarta