Tommy to ask for review, requests delay of arrest

JAKARTA (JP): A lawyer of Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra said his defense team would file an appeal on Monday requesting a review of last week's verdict by the Supreme Court sentencing him to 18 months in prison.

Lawyer Nudirman Munir said on Sunday the team would also file an appeal for the postponement of their client's arrest.

He said Tommy, the youngest son of former president Soeharto, should be given time to produce new evidence proving he is innocent, providing that the verdict did not instruct the immediate arrest of his client.

"We have learned from the summons issued by the prosecutors that the Supreme Court's ruling did not instruct immediate execution.

"So we'll ask for a delay of the arrest and use the chance for a review," Nudirman told The Jakarta Post, while hinting that the lawyers had yet to receive a copy of the verdict.

Nudirman said the team of lawyers had prepared new evidence that Tommy, as the former commissioner of wholesaler PT Goro Batara Sakti, was not involved in any corrupt practices allegedly involving the firm's executives.

The indictment stated that Tommy caused state losses of Rp 28.15 billion in a Rp 95.4 billion (US$11.2 million) land exchange deal between the firm and the State Logistics Agency (Bulog) in 1995.

"We'll prove that Tommy did not cause losses to the state, not even one cent. His involvement in the land exchange deal was only during the early stages of the deal as he was no longer the commissioner of PT Goro when the crime allegedly took place," Nudirman said.

Nudirman said that any leeway given by the Supreme Court could also save the justices from accusations that the verdict was politically motivated, providing several irregularities in the process. He did not elaborate.

The verdict, which was issued on Sept. 22, declared that Tommy and his business associate Ricardo Gelael were guilty of corruption. The court sentenced each to 18 months in prison.

The verdicts were registered as the first and second verdict of a criminal case issued by the Supreme Court this year. The case was submitted by the Attorney General's Office in October last year.

"Conspicuously, the Supreme Court prioritized the case despite the hundreds of others that have been received by the court in the last two years.

"Moreover, the verdict was issued within two weeks of the replacement of some court justices who tried the case," Nudirman said.

The South Jakarta District Court dismissed corruption charges against Tommy last October, citing a lack of evidence. The Attorney General's Office then appealed the district court's decision to the Supreme Court.

Tommy is the first member of the former first family to face public trial for graft. If imprisoned, he will be the first family member to spend time behind bars.

Previously, President Abdurrahman Wahid controversially ordered the National Police to arrest Tommy in connection with the recent bombing at the Jakarta Stock Exchange (JSX) building.

Nudirman said the team still could not confirm whether Tommy would be present at the South Jakarta District Court on Monday. He has been summoned to the court to officially hear the verdict being read.

"But we have asked Tommy to turn up at the district court to dismiss rumors that he has fled the country," he said. (bby)