Tommy gets two months' remission

Suherdjoko, The Jakarta Post, Semarang

The government has presented an Idul Fitri gift to Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra as he is among 637 inmates on Nusakambangan island who will have their jail terms reduced to mark the Islamic holiday.

Head of the Central Java office of the justice ministry, Marsono, said the length of remission varied, with Tommy, who is serving a 15-year prison term for murder, getting two months off his time in jail.

Also having their jail terms reduced were six convicted corrupters who were moved to Nusakambangan last Friday, including Pande Lubis, a former deputy chairman of the now defunct Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency (IBRA),

Marsono failed to specify why Tommy and the other inmates were being granted remission, although normally the government reduces the jail terms of inmates for good behavior.

Remission is traditionally granted to mark the country's Independence Day on Aug. 17 and major religious holidays such as Idul Fitri and Christmas.

It is given following an evaluation conducted by the prison authorities.

Tommy, the youngest son of former authoritarian ruler Soeharto, was sentenced to 15 years in jail in 2002 after being found guilty of the murder of Supreme Court justice Safiuddin Kartasasmita and illegal possession of arms.

He ordered the murder of the justice while on the run after being convicted and sentenced to two years in jail by a panel of judges that included Safiuddin in a corruption case involving the State Logistics Agency.

Tommy has been granted remission on five occasions since 2002, with the total cut to his jail term amounting so far to 17 months and 25 days.

He sparked controversy recently after receiving a visit from actress Sandy Harun. The local office of the justice department has since banned the celebrity from visiting the prison again.