Tommy to testify at Tangerang District Court

Tommy to testify at Tangerang District Court

Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang

Former President Soeharto's youngest son Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala
Putra is scheduled next week to testify at the Tangerang District
Court in the trial of three people accused of harboring him
during his escape.

"Tommy is a key witness in the trial. I must present him to
testify before the court," prosecutor Puji Rahardjo told The
Jakarta Post outside the courtroom on Wednesday.

Puji said that he would coordinate right away with the Central
Jakarta District court, the warden of Cipinang Penitentiary in
East Jakarta and the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights.

Tommy, who is currently held at the penitentiary, is facing a
possible 15-year jail term for his alleged role in the murder of
Supreme Court Justice Syafiuddin Kartasasmita, illegal possession
of ammunition and weapons, and flight from justice.

The Central Jakarta District Court will present the verdict on
Friday.

Three of Tommy's aides, a former high-ranking Army officer's
widow Rossana Hasan, 55, her son Bill Haq, 25, and a former model
and ex-wife of businessman Setiawan Djodi, Regina Ursula Sandi,
37, are on trial at Tangerang District Court.

They are facing charges of harboring fugitive Tommy who fled
from justice after he, along with businessman Richardo Gelael,
was sentenced to an 18-month jail term for graft in September
2000.

While Tommy was on the run, Syafiuddin, one of the judges who
had sentenced him, was shot dead.

Tommy was arrested while taking a nap at Rossana's house in
Bintaro, Tangerang, on Nov. 28 last year. Prosecutors said that
it was Sandi who had first contacted Rossana and asked to use her
house as a hiding place for Tommy.

On Wednesday, three city police detectives were summoned to
testify in the trial. They were Adj. Comr. M. Muh Saleh, Com.
Joko Purwadi and Adj. Comr. Danang. D.

Danang arrived at the court in the morning, but when he was
called to give testimony, he could not be found.

During the one-hour session, Saleh told the court that Tommy
was arrested at the house in Bintaro, while Joko said he had
received reports about Tommy's arrest.

Both witnesses said that they had no knowledge of Sandi
Harun at all.

Saleh said that when he, along with other officers, arrested
Tommy, he only found Rossana and her son Bill.

Joko said that he also took Rp 2 million as evidence seized
from Rossana, which was part of the Rp 10 million the defendant
said she had received as house rent from Tommy.

Tall and slim Sandi, who was clad in beige pants, pink shirt
and wore glasses, as well as the other two defendants, said they
had no objection to the testimony.

The defendants were charged with violating Articles 55, 64 and
221 of the Criminal Code. The articles carry a maximum punishment
of nine months in prison.

As the session started at 10 a.m., or an hour earlier than
scheduled, many reporters, including those of TV stations, missed
the session.

Prosecutor Puji Rahardjo added that he would propose that the
court conduct a hearing at the house where Tommy was arrested.