Devi Asmarani, Jakarta – Witnesses at the murder trial of Tommy Suharto have retracted their previous statements. Withdrawals by three of them have raised suspicions that they are being intimidated with the aim of securing the defendant's release.

Their statements were made when they were in police custody while Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra, the youngest son of former president Suharto, was in hiding after being convicted of graft.

Police captured Tommy last November and state prosecutors have charged him with illegal possession of firearms and escaping from a jail sentence as well as murder.

On Monday, Tommy's childhood friend, Dody Hardjito, denied his earlier statements that he had introduced Tommy to a man allegedly hired last August to murder Supreme Court Judge Syafiuddin Kartasasmita. In September 2000, the judge had sentenced Tommy to 18 months in jail for corruption.

A nervous Dody told the court: "At the time I gave my statement to the police at the Jakarta police headquarters I was under unbearable conditions. So some of what I said are true and some are not." Dody, who provided lodgings for Tommy while the latter was on the run, has been charged with helping to plot the judge's murder.

During last Thursday's hearing, witnesses Hetty Siti Hartika and Marvin Hukom also retracted their statements, which they claimed were made under pressure from the police.

Ms Hetty, who manages an apartment building owned by Tommy's wife, denied her earlier statement that weapons that were found during a police raid on the apartment belonged to Tommy. She said the only weapon kept in the apartment was one owned by former presidential guard Wiyono, a key witness in the case who died while in police detention last year.

A member of Ms Hetty's staff, Mr Marvin Hukom, also contradicted his statement that while on the run, Tommy had been staying at the apartment.

The Indonesian legal system accepts only testimonies made under oath in court. Suspects and witnesses have been known to retract in court statements given previously to police.

Experts are worried the judges will find weak evidence for the case against Tommy. Ms Harkristuti Harkrisnowo of the University of Indonesia suggested the judges investigate whether the witnesses had been threatened. The court can convict a suspect on the strength of two testimonies. Prosecutors have alleged that Tommy threatened the late judge Syafiuddin before he was convicted.

So far, only Ms Hetty's former maid, Sainah, has been consistent. She has contradicted the other two witnesses, saying Tommy had stayed at the apartment last year right up until the night before the police raid in August.

She has also said she once helped Ms Hetty to carry a heavy bag into the apartment which, supposedly, had contained weapons belonging to Tommy.

Tommy's response to Sainah's testimony last week was chilling. When asked by the panel of judges whether he had any questions for her, the former playboy replied: "For the sake of the witness's safety, I will not ask any question."