Bankers probed on missing Rp 83b

JAKARTA (JP): Police are questioning six former executives of a private bank arrested recently for allegedly defrauding their own bank of Rp 83 billion (US$32 million).

City Police Spokesman Lt. Col. E. Aritonang said yesterday the number of suspects in the Bank Asta case might rise following the questioning.

"All six former executives are being detained at the city police headquarters," Aritonang said.

The six were named as former owner Nugraha Tirtanata; former president director Edy Setiadi; former director Fauzi Zulkarnain; former treasurer Ratna Yulistianingrum; former marketing director Kresna Linardi; and a former commissioner Agung Darma Wijaya.

"They were arrested two weeks ago based on a report dated July 4 made by the bank's new board of directors," Aritonang said.

He said the bank fraud allegedly began in 1995.

He said there were three aspects to the fraud: buying deposit certificates, commercial papers and bonds.

In the first method, Nugraha ordered Bank Asta to buy deposit certificates from another bank. In cooperation with an executive of that bank, Nugraha then withdrew the money, said Aritonang.

Nugraha also issued commercial papers bearing the name of his other company, PT Wahyu Tata Wangsa. The papers were endorsed by three banks.

He then asked Bank Asta to buy the commercial papers and then sent the money to the three banks from which he withdrew the money, said Aritonang.

Nugraha also collected money by ordering Bank Asta to buy bonds through a security company. All the money used by the bank was borrowed from other banks.

Aritonang said all three methods were registered by then treasurer Ratna but Bank Asta never received either the commercial deposits, the commercial papers or the bonds.

He said the police were still investigating executives from other banks who were allegedly involved in the fraud.

The fraud was uncovered after Bank Asta was taken over by businessman Bambang N. Rachmadi three months ago. (jun)