Man faces four years in prison for scam

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)