Tommy's lawyer waiting for copy of court verdict

Tommy's lawyer waiting for copy of court verdict

JAKARTA (JP): A lawyer from Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra's
defense team said until they received a copy of the Supreme Court
verdict sentencing their client to 18 months in prison, they
would not know what their next step would be.

According to Nudirman Munir, the team of lawyers for the
youngest son of former president Soeharto still had not received
a copy of the verdict, which should have been given to them the
same day the prosecutor's office received the verdict.

Without a copy of the verdict, it is impossible for the
defense team to decide its next legal step, including whether to
appeal for a review of the case or to plea for an amnesty from
the President, Nudirman told The Jakarta Post on Friday.

"I think they are deliberately delaying delivering the verdict
to us.

"The slowness only strengthens the impression that the
decision to sentence our client was politically motivated," he
added.

The Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday that Tommy and his business
associate Ricardo Gelael were guilty of corruption in a Rp 95.4
billion (US$11.2 million) land exchange deal with the State
Logistic Agency. The court sentenced each to 18 months in prison.

Neither man was in attendance when the verdict was announced
on Wednesday by the head of the South Jakarta District Court,
Lalu Mariyun.

The two must also pay a Rp 10 million fine or serve another
three months in prison.

According to Nudirman, Tommy has not received a summons from
the South Jakarta Prosecutor's Office to appear at the
prosecutor's office on Monday.

"We would be there on Monday. The presence of Tommy really
depends on (us receiving) a copy of the verdict," Nudirman said.
"He may not appear if we fail to get the verdict."

"This is not an easy matter, we're talking about a jail
sentence," he said. "How can you put someone in jail without
showing him a copy of the verdict?"

Nudirman added that he and the other members of Tommy's
defense team would ask that the execution of the sentence be
delayed to allow them to study the ruling.

"Tommy will not be put in jail on Monday," Nudirman said.

Separately, the spokesman for the Attorney General's Office,
Yushar Yahya, said Tommy was not allowed to be represented by his
lawyers during Monday's session at the South Jakarta Prosecutor's
Office.

"The prosecutor there will ask several questions which must
be answered by the prisoner himself. So he must appear there on
Monday."

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

The Supreme Court also ordered Tommy to pay the state Rp 30.6
billion to cover its losses in the land exchange deal, more than
the amount demanded by prosecutors last year. Ricardo was ordered
to pay the state Rp 7.7 billion.

Tommy was the first member of the former first family to be
put on trial, and should he be put in prison that would be
another first for the family.

President Abdurrahman Wahid recently ordered police to arrest
Tommy for his alleged role in the Sept. 13 bombing of the Jakarta
Stock Exchange building. Police questioned Tommy before releasing
him, saying they did not have sufficient evidence to place him
under arrest. (bby)