Tommy Soeharto to have all bomb charges dropped

Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The youngest son of former president Soeharto, Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra will likely have all charges dropped in a series of cases in which he was questioned as the alleged mastermind of several bomb attacks in Jakarta as police have signaled that they will not pursue that particular case against him.

"The interrogations on the bomb attacks are difficult to continue with because we have no witnesses or evidence," Jakarta Police Detective Chief Sr. Comr. Bambang Hendarso Danuri told The Jakarta Post here on Friday.

Bambang revealed that Tommy's alleged involvement in a series of bomb attacks in the capital was only a "growing opinion", but was not sufficiently based on evidence or witnesses.

Bambang also said that police also still needed more evidence to continue its examination over Tommy's contempt charge, which he allegedly committed by evading his 18-month prison sentence in the Goro-Bulog land scam.

The police surprised many because they had earlier repeatedly emphasized that they would pursue four cases against Tommy. The four cases are his alleged mastermind of the murder of Supreme Court Justice M. Syafiuddin Kartasasmita, illegal possession of firearms, a spate of bomb attacks in the capital and his contempt of law.

As of Friday the police had completed and submitted two dossiers on the murder of Syafiuddin and illegal possession of guns to the South Jakarta Prosecutors' Office, which declared them complete last Thursday.

Legal observer Bambang Widjajanto is among those who questioned the latest progress in Tommy's cases.

"Why is it that all the other suspects, who implicated Tommy in the cases, have been brought to court while he himself as the alleged mastermind, has yet to stand trial,?" Bambang, the former chairman of the Legal Aid Institute (LBH) questioned.

He was referring to Tommy's aides, including R. Maulawarman, Noval Hadad, Hetty Siti Hartika, Dedi Sutaedi Yusuf and Ferry Hukom, who had been brought to court.

"If the evidence is considered sufficient for them, why does that not also happen to Tommy?" he asked.

With such inconsistency, there could be something wrong, which was being concealed by the police, Bambang said. He declined to elaborate further.

Since the very beginning, observers had lambasted the police saying he had been given special treatment. After more than one year of escaping justice, Tommy was given a special welcome. Many officials took the opportunity to meet and hug the former president's son, who was often seen smiling and -- unlike other criminals -- he was not handcuffed.

Tommy also enjoys many privileges while being detained at the police detention center. That includes a special cell and freedom to receive visitors, including his relatives and friends.

All the privileges have sparked public suspicion that police are attempting to coverup his powerful network, which had helped Tommy to stay hidden.

A legal expert from Hasanudin University of Makassar in Ujung Pandang, South Sulawesi, Achmad Ali, also questioned why police did not proceed with Tommy's contempt of law, referring to crystal clear facts that Tommy did evade his sentence for more than one year.

"It will be ridiculous if police set aside the case owing to insufficient evidence," Achmad told The Post, adding that the presiding judge should easily be able to convict Tommy for his evasion from the law.

But, Tommy's days in his privileged cell at the police detention center are numbered as Jakarta Police Chief Insp. Gen. Makbul Padmanagara revealed that police expected to submit Tommy, the dossiers and the evidence next Wednesday to the prosecutors' office.

"The ball is now in the prosecutors' court, as Tommy will be their responsibility," said Makbul.