Tommy promises to surrender
Tommy promises to surrender
JAKARTA (JP): The police were again made a promise by fugitive
Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra, who has been on the run for more
than 10 months, that the latter planned to surrender himself to
them provided they could guarantee him both security and justice.
Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Anton Bachrul Alam
confirmed that one of Tommy's lawyers, Elza Syarief, said her
client would surrender to the police to clarify the accusations
made against him in connection with the premeditated killing of
Supreme Court justice M. Syafiuddin Kartasasmita in July.
"Elza was contacted by Tommy last week but she admitted that
she also did not know where he was right now," Anton told The
Jakarta Post on Saturday in a telephone interview.
According to Anton, Elza went to the police headquarters and
conveyed the message directly to Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen.
Sofjan Jacoeb and city police chief of detectives Sr. Comr. Adang
Rochana.
"I hear that Pak Sofjan and Pak Adang met Tommy's siblings
(earlier in the day)," Anton said, adding the discussion was with
Soeharto's eldest daughter Siti Hardijanti "Tutut" Indra Rukmana
and her youngest sister Siti Hutami "Mamiek" Endang Adiningsih.
Anton said police were ready to offer a security guarantee to
Tommy but added that proper legal procedures had to be carried
out too.
"The sooner he surrenders, the better, because if he wants to
clarify anything he can do it in his trial," Anton said, adding
that the police had witnesses and evidence that pointed to
Tommy's involvement in the murder.
When asked whether police believed Tommy's initiative to
surrender, Anton said, "It's not a question of whether we believe
it or not. Our main job is to act on all information we receive."
Earlier last month, it was Tutut who brought the news that her
brother wanted to surrender himself but the plan never
materialized.
Tommy evaded an 18-month jail sentence handed down by the
Supreme Court last year after his plea for presidential clemency
was flatly rejected by former president Abdurrahman "Gus Dur"
Wahid in November last year.
He was sentenced for corruption involving the State Logistics
Agency (Bulog) and his firm PT Goro Batara Sakti.
Police announced on Aug. 6 that Tommy had ordered the murder
of the Supreme Court justice, M. Syafiuddin Kartasasmita , who
was a member of of the panel of judges that decided the 18-month
jail sentence.
At least 13 people have been arrested, including two suspects,
Noval hadad and Mulawarman, who allegedly shot Syafiuddin to
death in the Kemayoran area, Central Jakarta, while he was on his
way to work on July 26. (emf)