Tommy's bodyguards tried
Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Two bodyguards of Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra were tried on Monday for allegedly purchasing fake documents to help their boss escape capture by police after he went into hiding in November 2000 to avoid an 18-month prison term.
Prosecutor Maju Ambarita presented the indictments of the two bodyguards, Dedi Sutaedi Yusuf, 34, and Ferry Hukom, 40, at the South Jakarta District Court.
Dedi was charged with violating Article 55, Paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code on being an accessory to a crime. Ferry was charged with violating Article 263 of the Criminal Code on the forgery of illegal documents.
"While the defendants were driving their car in the Radio Dalam area in May, Tommy phoned Dedi and requested a passport that could be used in an emergency, considering he was a fugitive," Maju told the hearing, which was presided over by Judge Soedarto.
According to Maju, Dedi went to the South Jakarta Immigration Office on Jl. Warung Buncit the next month where, in the office yard, he met newspaper seller Buyung, alias Martunus, who acts as a middleman for arranging illegal documents.
At that time, Dedi asked Buyung to forge documents needed for obtaining a passport, including an ID card, birth certificate and a kartu keluarga (family card).
Buyung refused the request as Dedi provided no data except a name, Ibrahim.
"I really need your help Yung, I need it badly," Maju accused Dedi as having said.
Dedi handed the middleman Rp 500,000 and two photographs of Tommy with a beard and moustache. 'Ibrahim' was written on the back of the photos.
Later, at a restaurant in Halim Perdanakusuma area, East Jakarta, Buyung allegedly gave the documents, authorized by Pejaten Subdistrict office, to Ferry, who then passed them on to Dedi.
Dedi is believed to have delivered the documents in a sealed envelope to Hetty Siti Hartika, a close friend of Tommy's. Tommy received the documents from Hetty on July 15 at the Grand Melia Hotel in Kuningan, South Jakarta.
Hetty, 39, is currently facing charges in the Central Jakarta District Court for illegal possession of ammunition.
The hearing will resume next week to hear defense statements.
Both defendants will also face another trial after the police named them as suspects in the murder of Supreme Court Justice Syafiuddin Kartasasmita on July 26. Syafiuddin was one of the justices who sentenced Tommy to 18 months imprisonment last year.
Dedi and Ferry are currently being detained at the Cipinang Penitentiary in East Jakarta after police arrested them on Aug.6.