Man may get 6 years for fraud

PALANGKA RAYA, Central Kalimantan: A state prosecutor demanded on Saturday that the Central Kalimantan District Court sentence a former employee of the provincial police's logistics office to six years in prison for manipulating rice requisitions from the central government.

Prosecutor Kadlan Sinaga also asked the court to fine Iskandar Arman Rp 30 million (US$3,125) and instruct the defendant to pay a total of Rp 500 million in compensation to the provincial police headquarters.

According to the prosecutor, the defendant had frequently marked up the total rice requested (from the government) for police in the province.

"The crime had been committed since 1989 and was foiled in 2001," the prosecutor said, adding that the defendant usually "revised" the total rice requested from 3.2 tons to 3.5 tons.

"The defendant caused a total of Rp 539,939,896 in financial losses to the provincial police force," he said.

The trial, presided over by J. Aritonang, was adjourned until Saturday to hear the defendant's defense statement.

The court has confiscated a total of 2.5 hectares of land in several locations and a Toyota sedan from the defendant. (08)