Elsye insists no ties with Stefanus

JAKARTA: Elsye Sigit, the daughter-in-law of former president Soeharto, insisted during a more than five-hour interrogation by police on Monday that she had no ties with businessman Stefanus.

"I did know him (Stefanus) but I had no business with him," Elsye told reporters after the interrogation at Jakarta Police Headquarters, during which she was also confronted with Stefanus.

She declined to comment further, saying that her lawyer Juan Felix Tampubolon would answer all questions.

Tampubolon revealed that of eight witnesses, including bank and private employees, none had corroborated Stefanus' complaint.

Stefanus reported Elsye to the police for alleged fraud as a result of which he claimed he suffered Rp 20 billion (US$1.9 million) in losses. According to Stefanus' complaint, Elsye promised in 1996 that she would have a factory constructed in Cikampek, West Java. -- JP