15-year term sought for Soemarjono

SURABAYA: Prosecutor Donny Kadnezar asked the Surabaya District Court on Tuesday sentence Col. (ret) Soemarjono, the main defendant in a Rp 4.2 billion counterfeit case, to 15 years in prison.

"Defendant Soemarjono, along with his close associates Hadi Suwito and Slamet Hardjo, committed a flagrant violation of Article 224 of the Criminal Code on counterfeit money," Donny said told the court.

He said Soemarjono was responsible for the production and distribution of bogus Rp 50,000 notes with former president Soeharto's picture on them. The banknotes were produced at Soemarjono's houses on Jl. Melati in the Pomdam Jaya housing complex in Pesanggrahan, South Jakarta, and Jl. Bintaro Utama Raya in Bintaro, Tangerang.

Soemarjono, the former chief of internal affairs at the Army Strategic Reserves Command and a one-time manager of the Indonesian Thomas Cup badminton team, appeared in court with his lawyers Widjaja and Burhanuddin.

Judge Hirman Purnamakusuma adjourned the trial until next Monday, at which time the court will hear a statement from the defense. (nur/edt)