Executives get two years in jail for fraud<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A judge at the West Jakarta District Court
\nsentenced company executives Tansri Benui, alias Tan Beng Hoei,
\nand Soesanto Leo on Monday to two years in jail each for
\ndefrauding Bank Prima Ekspress.<\/p>\n
The two men, respectively president director and managing
\ndirector of CV Wira Mustika Indah, obtained credit from Bank
\nPrima Ekspress.<\/p>\n
\"The two defendants are proven guilty of providing fictitious
\ndocuments to the bank for an import agreement with it,\" presiding
\nJudge Suratno said while reading the verdict.<\/p>\n
Suratno said both convicts violated article 378 of the
\nCriminal Code on swindling, which carries a maximum sentence of
\nfour years in jail.<\/p>\n
The jail terms were the same length as the terms demanded by
\nProsecutor Dedy S. Harahap in a previous hearing.<\/p>\n
Suratno said the company asked for credit in Nov. 1995 from a
\nsyndication of 13 banks led by Bank Prima Ekspress.<\/p>\n
The credit term lasted until Aug. 1997. The company then
\nproposed an extension until Aug. 1997. The request was approved
\nby the bank.<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Prosecutor's Office said in a statement that
\nseveral banks belonging to the syndication were now under
\ngovernment supervision, including, among others, Bank Umum
\nNasional, Bank Lippo, Bank Bali and Bank Dharmala.<\/p>\n
\"The credit was intended to finance the import of wire-rods
\nfrom Singapore-based Triniaga Enterprise Singapore,\" said
\nSuratno.<\/p>\n
Triniaga Enterprise was owned by Tan Saridju Benui, Tansri
\nBenui's son, said Suratno.<\/p>\n
The judge said Tansri submitted a letter of credit application
\nto Bank Prima Ekspress to import the wire-rod from Singapore on
\nOct. 15, 1997.<\/p>\n
The letter of credit amounted to US$668,337.38 (Rp 4.8
\nbillion), Suratno said.<\/p>\n
\"After receiving the letter of credit documents from Tansri,
\nBank Prima Ekspress paid the money in to the Bank of New York's
\nSingapore branch to allow the Bank of New York to transfer the
\nmoney to the exporting company Triniaga Enterprise Singapore,\"
\nsaid Suratno.<\/p>\n
Bank of New York got hold off the money by debiting Bank Prima
\nEkspress' account, said Suratno.<\/p>\n
Suratno said the defendant also obtained a bill of landing
\nthrough the International Netherlands Bank to allow Bank Prima
\nEkspress to disburse the letter of credit.<\/p>\n
\"But, the bill of landing was fictitious,\" said the judge.<\/p>\n
Suratno said the defendants mentioned in the credit document
\nthat the wire-rods would be shipped from Singapore to Jakarta
\nonboard the Gang Qiang.<\/p>\n
\"But it remained a promise, and the wire-rod never reached
\nTanjung Priok Port,\" said the judge, adding that the crime had
\nbrought losses to the bank of US$668,337.38.<\/p>\n
Suratno said Bank Prima Ekspress had demanded the company
\nsettle the debt, but it had failed to do so.<\/p>\n
\"Both defendants have contributed to the collapse of the
\ncountry's economy,\" said the judge, referring to the ruin of
\ndozens of banks due to bad debts.<\/p>\n
The two men said they were considering filing an appeal to the
\nJakarta High Court. (asa)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/executives-get-two-years-in-jail-for-fraud-1447893297",
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