Lista admits links with Soemarjono

SURABAYA (JP): Another suspect in fake money scandal, Lista Andriyani, admitted on Tuesday to involvement in fake money business with the main suspect Col. (Ret.) Soemarjono.

Answering interrogators at the Surabaya City Police headquarters, Lista, a 40 year-old businesswoman brought by the Jakarta Police for her testimony.

Films and metal plates, cuts of Indonesian Bank notes of Rp 50,000 bearing the picture of Soeharto and a big role of paper for printing the fake money were among the paraphernalia brought by the police from Jakarta.

Lista, who admitted earlier that she obtained the paper from Soemarjono, reiterated in Surabaya on Tuesday morning that she knew Soemarjono and participated in fake money business with him, chief of Surabaya Police detective Maj. Edwin said.

"As predicted, Soemarjono denied knowing Lista," Edwin said, adding that the role of paper she bright with her was said to be Soemarjono's.

"The paper was sent by Soemarjono to Lista's home late November of last year, after they became acquainted earlier that month," Edwin said.

"We discussed business. But Pak (Mr.) Soemarjono offered counterfeit money business seriously," Lista was quoted by Edwin as saying.

Lista, who refused to be interviewed by reporters, told the police that in a meeting with Soemarjono in her home in Kelapa Gading Permai housing complex in Jakarta, Soemarjono agreed to dispatch a role of paper for the counterfeit notes totaling Rp 50 million.

One week later a man with a pickup loaded with a role of paper was sent to Lista, the woman told the police. "Two days later Soemarjono came to find out if the paper was received," Edwin said.

"Soemarjono admitted to knowing Lista, but denied Lista's statements," Edwin said.

Soemarjono, the manager of the Indonesian Thomas Cup team in Kuala Lumpur this year, is one of 14 suspects detained by Surabaya Police in the illegal business. Besides Soemarjono, two other retired Army officers are among the suspects.

Meanwhile, a report by Kompas newspaper on Tuesday about the presence of a near flawless counterfeit of Rp 100,000 bills sent many people panicking.

The monetary authority was silenced about the report but bank tellers in Jakarta on Tuesday were seen scratching every Rp 100,000 bill deposited by customers to check its authenticiy.

The counterfeits passed the usual ultra-violet light tests and the only way to tell them from the original notes is that the Rp 10,000 figure comes off if scratched by fingernails, according to Kompas. (nur/sur)