Lista admits links with Soemarjono

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)