Jakarta, July 14: Prosecutors today opposed an attempt by Tommy Suharto, youngest son of Indonesia's former dictator, to overturn his murder conviction and 15-year jail sentence on the grounds of fresh evidence. "We have concluded that in this demand for a case review no new evidence has been found, nor has any mistake or fault by the judges in judging this case been found," prosecutor Hasan Madani told the central Jakarta district court. The former millionaire playboy was convicted in July last year of ordering the contract killing of a Supreme Court Judge and of possession of firearms and explosives. Last week he and his lawyers presented what they called fresh evidence including witnesses, documents and a laboratory report to a district court at Cilacap in central Java. Tommy is serving his sentence at Nusakambangan island prison near Cilacap. Judges at the central Jakarta court which convicted Tommy will study the new evidence and make recommendations to the Supreme Court, which has the final say on whether to grant a case review.

Madani said all the witnesses presented last week, with the exception of a forensic expert, "have, de facto, emotional ties" with Tommy. The witnesses had said they saw no guns at an apartment where police claimed to have found firearms.

Madani said they were Tommy's "employees, workers and servants" and their objectivity was questionable.

Madani also said one witness had mobilised the others, taken them to a notary to make their depositions and paid for the notary's services.

Bureau Report.