Jakarta – A bullet that killed a Supreme Court judge came from one of six guns found at homes owned by former president Suharto's youngest son Tommy, a police colonel said yesterday.

Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra is accused of masterminding the assassination of Judge Syafiuddin Kartasasmita in July last year after the judge sentenced him to 18 months in prison for a multi-million-dollar real estate scam. Tommy also faces weapons charges and being a fugitive from justice. If found guilty, he could be sentenced to death.

Lt-Colonel Homsi Safrian Simin said the bullet that killed Mr Syafiuddin had come from a 9 mm revolver found when police raided two homes owned by Tommy. Prosecutors have said the guns belonged to Tommy but he has denied it.

Yesterday, Tommy asked the five-judge panel to assign an expert to do its own examination of the bullet. But the judges said they would consider his request at a later date.

The trial is one of several cases involving high-profile defendants from the Suharto regime. It is seen as a test of President Megawati Sukarnoputri's pledge to clean up the legal system and crack down on powerful but allegedly corrupt members of Suharto's family and entourage.

A doctor who did the autopsy on Mr Syafiuddin testified yesterday that three shots were fired into the judge's car. One hit the windshield, a second hit the judge's hand and the fatal shot went into his head.