We are tired of searching for Tommy: Police

JAKARTA (JP): The chief of detectives of Jakarta Police confessed on Wednesday of being "very tired" of searching for fugitive Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra, as it had used all its resources during an unsuccessful manhunt, which had lasted for more than 10 months.

"The exhaustion is not only physical, it is more than that. We never thought that this would drag on for so long," Sr. Comr. Adang Rochana said.

"We could have worked on investigating other crimes but since Tommy's case has become a top priority, almost all of our energies have been used in the manhunt," Adang remarked.

Almost 80 percent of some 300 detectives at Jakarta Police Headquarters have been deployed in a team set up to search for Tommy, with little progress made so far to locate the whereabouts of the fugitive son of former president Soeharto.

Tommy has been on the run since November last year after former president Abdurrahman Wahid rejected his appeal for a pardon in connection with an 18-month jail sentence issued by the Supreme Court.

Police have already named Tommy as the mastermind of the killing of Supreme Court Justice Syafiuddin Kartasasmita who was shot dead on his way to work on July 26.

Having arrested and questioned at least 10 people in relation to the murder, police still have few clues on Tommy.

Adang, however, quickly added that the public must also be feeling a bit tired that the manhunt has dragged on for so long. "I believe the public is also anxious to see the end of this search," he said.

Adang was speaking during a joint media conference with former actress Yenny Rosyeni Rachman, more popularly known as Yenny Rachman, who was summoned for questioning in relation to police efforts to search for Tommy.

Yenny admitted to reporters that she would assist the police in their efforts to locate Tommy.

"But how can I help? I haven't met him for years and mas (brother) Tommy won't come to my house," Yenny said.

Previously on Tuesday, Yenny was also questioned by Central Jakarta Police in relation with Tommy's whereabouts.

She was among dozens of people summoned by the police in relation to the fugitive's whereabouts.

After Yenny, police were reportedly scheduled to summon businessman Tinton Suprapto. (emf)