Witnesses ID Adiguna as shooter: Police
Witnesses ID Adiguna as shooter: Police
Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Jakarta Police said on Tuesday that several of the 15 witnesses
questioned over the murder of Yohanes Berchmans Haerudy Natong,
or Rudy, 28, have identified businessman Adiguna Sutowo as the
waiter's killer.
Sr. Comr. Mathius Salempang, chief of detectives of the city
police's general crimes division, said his officers had continued
to interrogate Adiguna and more witnesses in order to complete
the investigation and submit the case file within the next two
months to the prosecutor's office.
"We questioned 15 witnesses, and some of them said they saw
Adiguna pull the trigger. We also questioned Adiguna several
times, although he continues to deny the accusation," Mathius
told The Jakarta Post.
Mathius said several witnesses, including Adiguna's three
female companions identified as T, W, and V, had testified
against the sole suspect, the son of the late Ibnu Sutowo, former
president director of state oil and gas company Pertamina.
The shooting, which took place early on Saturday morning, Jan.
1, has outraged the public, and President Susilo Bambang
Yudhoyono has instructed the police to be transparent and speedy
in the case's resolution.
National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Paiman said on Tuesday
that National Police Headquarters would follow the case closely
to make sure that it was handled according to procedure.
"There will be no irregularities. Police headquarters will
intervene if something goes awry," said Paiman.
Asked whether a scenario to save Adiguna could be played out
-- whereby another person was convinced (through money or other
means) to confess to pulling the trigger -- or whether Jakarta
Police chief Insp. Gen. Firman Gani had met with Ponco Sutowo,
Adiguna's older brother, Paiman refused to entertain either
suggestion.
"There are witnesses. It is not easy to fool us. If it is true
that the city police chief has met with Ponco, it proves nothing
as the headquarters will make sure Adiguna is detained and the
case continues to be investigated," said Paiman.
A source at the police headquarters revealed that Adiguna had
been involved in three other "incidents" involving firearms last
few years, although nobody had been killed.
"He was detained once in Kemang and somehow was cleared of all
charges for no clear reason," the source told the Post.
National Police chief of detectives Comr. Gen. Suyitno Landung
Sudjono said earlier that the projectile lodged in Rudy's head
matched the 19 bullets found in Adiguna's room in the Hilton
Hotel, Central Jakarta.
"We are still examining the blood found on the towel and
tissues in Adiguna's room to see if it is Rudy's. We are still
searching for the gun. However, many witnesses have identified
Adiguna as the shooter," he told the Post.