The fugitive son of former Indonesia dictator Suharto, Hutomo 'Tommy' Mandala Putra, is ready to surrender to police after 10 months on the run, one of his lawyers was quoted as saying Saturday.
But the former billionaire playboy will decide when the time is right, lawyer Elza Syarief said according to Satunet online news.
"My client says he will hand himself in at the appropriate time," Syarief told reporters at the police headquarters.
She said Tommy wanted to clarify accusations made against him.
Police have accused Tommy of ordering the drive-by daylight assassination of Supreme Court Judge Syaifuddin Kartasasmita in July.
Tommy, 38, the youngest son of Suharto's five children, has been on the run from police since November last year, after a presidential pardon for his conviction on graft charges was rejected.
The Supreme Court had sentenced Tommy earlier to 18 months jail and an 11,000 dollar fine for his role in a land fraud.
Early last month police raided two Jakarta residences allegedly used by Tommy, found caches of weapons and explosives, and arrested several of his alleged accomplices who have told police and journalists that Tommy arranged the fatal shooting of Kartasasmita.
Since Suharto senior stepped down in May 1998 his family has come under scrutiny for the immense fortunes they allegedly acquired illegally during his 32-year rule.
The former general-turned-president is also charged with embezzling some 571 million dollars of state funds -- JAKARTA (AFP)
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
