Tommy fails to appear in Tangerang District Court
<p>Tommy fails to appear in Tangerang District Court</p><p>Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang</p><p> Former President Soeharto's youngest son Hutomo "Tommy"
Mandala Putra refused to testify at the Tangerang District court
on Wednesday during the trial of three people accused of
harboring him during his year on the run. </p><p>Prosecutor Puji Raharjo said Tommy had refused to appear
because he claimed he was concentrating on appealing his murder
conviction and 15-year jail sentence imposed last Friday.</p><p>Tommy also claimed that he was still being examined by a team
of investigators from City Police Headquarters, Puji said after
submitting a letter from the Cipinang Penitentiary warden to the
panel of judges presided over by Zainal Arifin.</p><p>The police are questioning Tommy about a statement he made
during his trial that he could hide from authorities safely
because of his coordination with the police.</p><p>Tommy was convicted of ordering the murder of Supreme Court
justice Syafiuddin Kartasasmita, illegal possession of weapons
and ammunition and fleeing from justice.</p><p>Three of Tommy's alleged aides, the widow of a former high-
ranking Army officer, Rossana Hasan, 55, her son Bill Haq, 25,
and former wife of businessman Setiawan Djodi, Regina Ursula
Sandi, 37, a former model, are on trial at the Tangerang District
Court.</p><p>They are facing charges of harboring Tommy who fled from
justice after he and businessman Richardo Galael were sentenced
by Syafiuddin to 18-months jail for graft in September 2000.</p><p>According to the indictment, it was Sandi who first contacted
Rossana and asked if Tommy could hide in her house.</p><p>A city police detective, First. Insp. Fransiscus Danang Dwi
Kartiko, told the court Wednesday that he and 24 other police
officers had been tracking Tommy for three months before he was
arrested.</p><p>He said police could identify Tommy's whereabouts by using
advanced technology to trace Tommy's mobile phone.</p><p>"We spent a week observing Rossana's house and on Nov. 28,
2001, I climbed up the back wall of the house to confirm whether
or not Tommy was inside. I saw all the bedrooms' air conditioners
in the house were off except in one bedroom, which I suspected
was being used by Tommy," he said.</p><p>"After making sure that there must be someone in the bedroom,
I and several officers entered Rossana's house through the front
door," he said.</p><p>But they only saw Rossana and her son. Danang then asked for
the bedroom's key from Rossana. He unlocked and knocked the door.</p><p>"As there was no response, I entered the bedroom, I woke
Tommy, who was sleeping, at gunpoint. Tommy asked me to calm
down, saying that he would not resist," he added.</p><p>He also testified that he saw Sandi leaving the house at about
8 a.m. on Nov. 26.</p><p>"Sandi was wearing a white T-shirt, sports shoes with a small
towel hanging on her neck," he said.</p><p>"I don't know," said Sandi when the judge asked her whether
Danang's testimony was correct.</p><p>The two other defendants said they had no objection to the
testimony at all.</p><p>The defendants were charged with violating Articles 55, 64 and
221 of the Criminal Code. The articles carry a maximum punishment
of nine months in prison.</p><p>The session was adjourned until next Wednesday to hear the
testimony of Tommy and other witnesses.</p>
Mandala Putra refused to testify at the Tangerang District court
on Wednesday during the trial of three people accused of
harboring him during his year on the run. </p><p>Prosecutor Puji Raharjo said Tommy had refused to appear
because he claimed he was concentrating on appealing his murder
conviction and 15-year jail sentence imposed last Friday.</p><p>Tommy also claimed that he was still being examined by a team
of investigators from City Police Headquarters, Puji said after
submitting a letter from the Cipinang Penitentiary warden to the
panel of judges presided over by Zainal Arifin.</p><p>The police are questioning Tommy about a statement he made
during his trial that he could hide from authorities safely
because of his coordination with the police.</p><p>Tommy was convicted of ordering the murder of Supreme Court
justice Syafiuddin Kartasasmita, illegal possession of weapons
and ammunition and fleeing from justice.</p><p>Three of Tommy's alleged aides, the widow of a former high-
ranking Army officer, Rossana Hasan, 55, her son Bill Haq, 25,
and former wife of businessman Setiawan Djodi, Regina Ursula
Sandi, 37, a former model, are on trial at the Tangerang District
Court.</p><p>They are facing charges of harboring Tommy who fled from
justice after he and businessman Richardo Galael were sentenced
by Syafiuddin to 18-months jail for graft in September 2000.</p><p>According to the indictment, it was Sandi who first contacted
Rossana and asked if Tommy could hide in her house.</p><p>A city police detective, First. Insp. Fransiscus Danang Dwi
Kartiko, told the court Wednesday that he and 24 other police
officers had been tracking Tommy for three months before he was
arrested.</p><p>He said police could identify Tommy's whereabouts by using
advanced technology to trace Tommy's mobile phone.</p><p>"We spent a week observing Rossana's house and on Nov. 28,
2001, I climbed up the back wall of the house to confirm whether
or not Tommy was inside. I saw all the bedrooms' air conditioners
in the house were off except in one bedroom, which I suspected
was being used by Tommy," he said.</p><p>"After making sure that there must be someone in the bedroom,
I and several officers entered Rossana's house through the front
door," he said.</p><p>But they only saw Rossana and her son. Danang then asked for
the bedroom's key from Rossana. He unlocked and knocked the door.</p><p>"As there was no response, I entered the bedroom, I woke
Tommy, who was sleeping, at gunpoint. Tommy asked me to calm
down, saying that he would not resist," he added.</p><p>He also testified that he saw Sandi leaving the house at about
8 a.m. on Nov. 26.</p><p>"Sandi was wearing a white T-shirt, sports shoes with a small
towel hanging on her neck," he said.</p><p>"I don't know," said Sandi when the judge asked her whether
Danang's testimony was correct.</p><p>The two other defendants said they had no objection to the
testimony at all.</p><p>The defendants were charged with violating Articles 55, 64 and
221 of the Criminal Code. The articles carry a maximum punishment
of nine months in prison.</p><p>The session was adjourned until next Wednesday to hear the
testimony of Tommy and other witnesses.</p>