Tommy's alleged accomplice dies of 'heart failure'

JAKARTA (JP): A retired Army officer who had been detained since Aug. 10 for the illegal possession of firearms, which allegedly belonged to Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra, died on Tuesday morning on his way from the city police detention center in Central Jakarta to Kramatjati Police Hospital in East Jakarta.

Based on our examination, he died of a heart attack," city police's Medical Division head Sr. Comr. Edy Suparwoko said on Tuesday.

He said Wiyono, 61, was examined early Tuesday morning by a doctor at the detention center when the former complained of feeling cold after performing his predawn prayers.

"We put him on oxygen to help him breath before sending him to Kramatjati Hospital. But he died on the way at about 7 a.m.," Edy said.

He dismissed the possibility that the former sergeant major was killed or tortured at the detention center, saying the police had found no signs of violence on his body.

He said Wiyono's blood was also being tested to ascertain if the former presidential guard during Soeharto's presidency was poisoned.

"We need about a week to analyze his blood results," Edy said, adding that it was conducted because Wiyono's family refused to allow an autopsy.

City police spokesman Sr. Comr. Anton Bachrul Alam said Wiyono's wife Heri Sukarti refused to allow an autopsy on her husband's body.

"Heri has stated that she would not sue the police. She believes Wiyono died because he was sick," Anton said.

Anton said Wiyono who had been fasting since Monday prayed on Tuesday with the other detainees, Aceh Referendum Information Center chairman Faisal.

Anton said Wiyono had admitted he received a bag containing firearms from Tommy and that he handed it over to the latter's aide Hetty Siti Hartika.

Hetty, a manager of Cemara Apartments in Menteng, Central Jakarta, was arrested on Aug. 1 on charges of harboring Tommy, who is a fugitive, and for the illegal possession of weapons.

She was also accused of playing a role in the late Justice Syafiuddin's murder and a series of bombings that rocked the city the last few months.

Cemara Apartments reportedly belong to the Soeharto family.

Police investigation, however, revealed that Wiyono was not involved in the murder of the late Supreme Court Justice Syafiuddin Kartasasmita, he added.

Syafiuddin was shot dead on his way to work on July 27 in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta, allegedly by suspects Noval Hadad and Mulawarman.

The two suspects claimed the murder was ordered by Tommy.

Syafiuddin was a member of the panel of judges who sentenced Tommy to 18 months in jail last year as the latter was found guilty in a corruption case involving the State Logistics Agency (Bulog) and Tommy's firm PT Goro Batara Sakti. Tommy has been at large since his request for a pardon from former president Abdurrahman Wahid was rejected.

On Monday night, city police detained three people suspected to be Tommy's friends. However, police released the men after questioning them as they were not Tommy's accomplices, Anton said on Tuesday.

The three men, identified as Johanis Herma Mesak, Jonis Herma Pisa and Ali Makarim, were detained during a police raid on an office in Pancoran, South Jakarta, he said. (jun)