Fraud defendant asks to be freed

Fraud defendant asks to be freed

JAKARTA (JP): An ex-employee of Bank Indonesia on trial for his part in a Rp 7 Million ($2.9 million) bank fraud, asked the judge Wednesday to free him because he wasn't in the wrong.

Nasran Amar is one of three former central bank employees facing the Central Jakarta District Court on fraud charges.

They were fired by the bank after the scandal broke.

"I was not involved in any corruption case because the money I was accused of stealing did not belong to Bank Indonesia," he said.

He said Naman Kawi, the main defendant and his former colleague, and Andi Muis, his alleged businessman accomplice, told him there was Rp 5.6 million in PT. Aseam's bank account and they could withdraw it.

Nasran said he and Andi withdrew the money and split it between the three of them, although he had no idea where it came from.

"I ask to be exonerated because I have witnessed a case in which a colleague of mine illegally withdrew Rp 100 million from the bank but was not charged," he said.

He said in that case the man was only transferred from the bank's headquarters to a provincial branch.

The state prosecutor said in his indictment that the $2.9 million belonged to a man called Dahlan. Dahlan turned out to be a fictitious name. The money was transferred from Bank Indonesia to PT. Aseam's bank account.

Nasran is charged with helping Naman Kawi steal by introducing him to Andi Muis, who received the money. (12)