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)