Tommy Soeharto to have all bomb charges dropped

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.