Tommy given two days to choose his own fate
Tommy given two days to choose his own fate
JAKARTA (JP): The South Jakarta Prosecutors' Office has given
former president Soeharto's youngest son Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala
Putra less than 48 hours to decide whether to ask for clemency or
a review of the Supreme Court's verdict against him.
The head of the office, Antasari Azhar, said on Monday he had
sent a second summons advising Hutomo to appear at his office on
Wednesday morning at the latest.
"This afternoon, I sent the summons for the convicted to
appear at my office on Wednesday morning at the latest. He'd
better be ready at that time," Antasari said.
Hutomo failed to obey the first summons on Monday, claiming he
had yet to receive a copy of the indictment sentencing him and
business associate Ricardo Gelael to 18 months in prison each for
graft in a Rp 95.4 billion (US$11.2 million) land exchange deal
with the State Logistics Agency (Bulog) five years ago.
One of Hutomo's lawyers, Nudirman Munir, said his client had
received the summons and would comply with it on Tuesday morning.
A team of five lawyers representing Hutomo met with Antasari
on Monday.
"We will be ready for any action as soon as we complete
studying the verdict," leader of the defense team, LMM Samosir,
said.
Antasari hinted that Tommy's lawyers would prefer to request
a review of the Supreme Court's decision.
About 20 minutes after the arrival of Tommy's defense team,
Ricardo, accompanied by prominent lawyer Adnan Buyung Nasution,
submitted appeals for presidential clemency and a delay in the
implementation of his 18-month jail sentence.
"My client admits he was not conscientious in the land
exchange deal with Bulog. He also has recovered around Rp 14
billion of the state losses.
"He feels remorse and pledges not to commit similar crimes. He
has asked for a pardon and mercy from President Abdurrahman
Wahid," Nasution told a joint news conference with Antasari. Both
of Ricardo appeals were submitted to the South Jakarta District
Court later in the day.
Nasution said Ricardo and his family, who established Gelael
supermarket in 1956, had suffered enough humiliation because of
extensive publicity concerning the case over the past two years.
"We joined Tommy's firm PT Humpuss to establish wholesaler PT
Goro Batara Sakti with the purpose of expanding the retail
business in cooperation with cooperatives. This business was a
success due to its professional management, not because of
Tommy's role.
"PT Goro didn't want to make the land exchange deal, but PT
Humpuss -- the major shareholder -- insisted after the latter's
subsidiary PT Sekar Artha Sentosa had initiated the deal,"
Ricardo said.
Ricardo refused to comment on his appeal for clemency, which
was registered as file number 04/PID/Grasi/2000/PN Jak-Sel.
"I respect the Supreme Court's ruling. I will accept whatever
it is ... that's all I could say now. As for Tommy ... I better
not say anything. Let him do whatever he chooses," he told
journalists before leaving the prosecutor's office.
Last year the South Jakarta District Court acquitted Tommy of
all charges due to lack of evidence. The Attorney General's
Office appealed to the Supreme Court upon the issuance of the
verdict.
Tommy was the first member of the former first family to face
trial.
President Abdurrahman Wahid ordered the arrest of Tommy in
connection with the bombing at the Jakarta Stock Exchange
building on Sept. 13.
Separately, newly installed Supreme Court Justice Muladi said
that Tommy could be jailed without waiting for him to decide
whether to ask for a judicial review of the Supreme Court's
verdict.
"The court's verdict could be executed soon even if Tommy
submits an appeal," Muladi, a former minister of justice and
former state minister/state secretary, said on Monday.
He said a postponement of Tommy's detention could be allowed
if Tommy appeals for clemency from President Abdurrahman Wahid.
(01/bby/jun)