Tommy fails to appear in Tangerang District Court
Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang
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.
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.
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.
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.
Tommy was convicted of ordering the murder of Supreme Court justice Syafiuddin Kartasasmita, illegal possession of weapons and ammunition and fleeing from justice.
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.
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.
According to the indictment, it was Sandi who first contacted Rossana and asked if Tommy could hide in her house.
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.
He said police could identify Tommy's whereabouts by using advanced technology to trace Tommy's mobile phone.
"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.
"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.
But they only saw Rossana and her son. Danang then asked for the bedroom's key from Rossana. He unlocked and knocked the door.
"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.
He also testified that he saw Sandi leaving the house at about 8 a.m. on Nov. 26.
"Sandi was wearing a white T-shirt, sports shoes with a small towel hanging on her neck," he said.
"I don't know," said Sandi when the judge asked her whether Danang's testimony was correct.
The two other defendants said they had no objection to the testimony at all.
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.
The session was adjourned until next Wednesday to hear the testimony of Tommy and other witnesses.