Tutut promises to deliver Tommy to police

JAKARTA (JP): Former President Soeharto's eldest daughter Siti Hardijanti Rukmana, alias Tutut, promised on Friday to deliver her fugitive brother Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra to the police.

Tutut made the promise in a letter submitted during her questioning in connection with Tommy's suspected involvement in the murder of Supreme Court Justice M. Syafiuddin Kartasasmita.

Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Sofjan Jacoeb told reporters after the questioning that Tutut had promised to deliver Tommy to the authorities soon.

However, he said, when asked when exactly she would deliver Tommy, Tutut said, "We'll wait for Tommy's phone call."

Tutut claimed that her brother had called her on Tuesday, telling her that he would surrender himself to the police.

Tommy, according to Tutut, claimed that he was not guilty in the murder of Syafiuddin, and wanted to make a clarification about the matter.

Tutut said that she did not know of her brother's whereabouts, but was sure that Tommy was still in Jakarta.

Accompanied by a team of lawyers led by Elza Syarief, Tutut, who arrived at the police headquarters at about 10 a.m., was questioned for about five hours.

No less than National Police chief Gen. Surojo Bimantoro and National Police chief of detectives Insp. Gen. Engkesman Hillep, as well as Sofjan, were on hand to meet Tutut.

Strangely, the police did not confront Tutut with a key suspect, Hetty Siti Hartika, who had earlier claimed there was a possibility that Tutut knew about the murder plan.

"We didn't confront Tutut with Hetty. We didn't ask Tutut about Hetty either," Jakarta Police detectives' chief Sr. Comr. Adang Rochjana said.

Adang, who led the questioning, quickly denied that the police had made a deal with Tutut over the case.

He said Tutut denied that she knew about the plan to murder the judge.

When the police introduced Tutut to three suspects, Dodi Hardjito, Dedi Setiadi Yusuf and Ferry Ukom, she recognized them as being Tommy's classmates from school.

Separately, Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Anton Bachrul Alam said Hetty, who was arrested on Saturday in the Cemara Apartments, confessed that she handed over documents setting out the murder plan and a bag containing firearms to Tutut's maid, identified as Iyo, at Soeharto's residence on Jl. Cendana, Menteng, Central Jakarta.

"When handing over the documents, Tutut, Titiek, and Tommy's wife Tata, were there," he said.

Titiek is the nickname of Tommy's sister Siti Hedijati Rukmana, while Tata is the nickname of his wife Ardhia Pramesti Regita Cahyani.

Anton said Hetty was the manager of the apartment, which was reportedly owned by the Soeharto family.

Meanwhile, Iyo was now in Tutut's house in Boston, the United State.

Anton revealed that Tommy met the three women on July 7 at Soeharto's residence, but said that police could not arrest the women for meeting the fugitive.

The police have also summoned Titiek and Tata, who are expected to appear for questioning on Monday. (jun)