Man faces four years in prison for scam

JAKARTA (JP): A prosecutor urged the Central Jakarta District Court on Monday to sentence a 50-year-old man to four years in prison for allegedly defrauding hospital donors of a total of Rp 815 million (US$74,090).

In his final presentation, prosecutor Teuku Syahrul said Agus Santosa, a former member of Perkumpulan Husada foundation which owned and ran Husada Hospital on Jl. Mangga Besar, had illegally solicited donations from nine organizations from 1993 through June 1996 on the pretense that he was a representative of the hospital.

"The defendant used the funds for his own interests," Syahrul told the court.

Agus, he said, began his illegal activities on Aug. 17, 1993 when he asked a hospital employee, Suwito, to obtain a license to collect donations from the city's social services office.

Using the permit, the defendant collected donations from the nine benefactors, including Naga Sakti foundation, Elni foundation and Jaya foundation, the prosecutor said.

In soliciting the funds, Agus had also illegally used the hospital's letterhead and stamp, he added.

The defendant violated Article 374 on fraud and Article 266 for using papers illegally as stated in the country's existing Criminal Code, Syahrul said.

The articles carry maximum sentences of five years and seven years in jail, respectively.

Over 30 of the hospital's nurses, wearing their uniforms, watched the proceedings on Monday.

Presiding judge Rusdi As'ad adjourned the trial for two weeks when the court will resume to hear the defendant's plea.

According to the prosecutor, the hospital earlier won a lawsuit against Agus in a trial at the West Jakarta District Court.

On Aug. 20, the court ordered the defendant to pay Rp 929 million to the hospital to compensate for losses. (jun)