Jakarta – An investigation into the July 26, 2001 murder of Justice Syafiuddin Kartasasmita has revealed that fugitive Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra had once offered the judge billions of rupiah in return for ruling in favor of the convict in a 1996 corruption case.
Second widow of Syafiuddin, Iwa Setiawati Kartasasmita, admitted on Saturday that Tommy, the youngest son of former president Soeharto, had offered the money through his lawyers. "But, Bapak rejected the offers as he really did not want to be bribed," Iwa, a witness in the case, told reporters during a break in police questioning at Jakarta Police Headquarters as quoted by Antara.
Syafiuddin had two wives, Soimah and Iwa. Soimah lives in Sunter, North Jakarta, while Iwa lives in Cipayung, East Jakarta. Syafiuddin was shot on his way to his office from his house in Sunter by suspects Munawarman and Noval, who are now under police custody.
Syafiuddin was a member of a team of judges who, in November 2000, sentenced Tommy to 18 months imprisonment over corruption charges in a 1996 land swap deal between the State Logistics Agency (Bulog) and his then wholesale firm PT Goro Batara Sakti.
Tommy then went missing until recently when a police team found hundreds of explosive devices, firearms and evidence in a rented house of his on Jl. Alam Segar III in Pondok Indah, South Jakarta on Monday.
Iwa said that around September or October 2000, Nudirman Munir, a lawyer of Tommy's offered her husband Rp 2 billion (US$210,526) as downpayment if Syafiuddin was willing to meet Tommy in Cipayung. But, Syafiuddin rejected it.
On a separate occasion, in October 2000, another of Tommy's lawyer, Bob R.E. Nasution, offered some Rp 5 billion to Syafiuddin, which he again rejected, she said.
But, Syafiuddin agreed to meet Tommy without any payment at his house in Cipayung, where Tommy asked Syafiuddin to "pay attention" to his case, she said. Iwa, who has three children from Syafiuddin, said Tommy was accompanied by another lawyer Elza Syarief and the latter's husband, identified as Kenny, along with two other guys who were waiting in a car.
She also cited that Tommy's younger sister Siti Hutami Endang Adiningsih, known as Mamiek, also visited her husband over a case involving Soeharto.
Iwa said that she gave her testimony at Jakarta Police Headquarters to clarify earlier media reports, saying that she had been offered Rp 20 billion by Tommy. "The reports were untrue. As the second wife [of Syafiuddin], I did not want to be bought ... I did not want to accept the money," Iwa, who was dressed in brown kebaya said.