Man on trial for fraud

JAKARTA (JP): A man, who claimed he was a business partner of a wealthy Brunei Darussalam businessman, was charged with fraud at Central Jakarta District Court yesterday.

Businessman Iwan Hendra, 42, a resident of Petojo Barat, Central Jakarta, was accused of violating Article 378 of the Criminal Code for fraud, which carries a maximum four years' imprisonment.

Prosecutor Petrus Sambara told the court that the defendant conned Tamsjadi in 1993 to join a company, which was said to belong to Muhammad Bin Bolkiah.

"The defendant told Tamsjadi that he needed a partner to develop a tourist site in Muara Gembong and that Bolkiah had given him Rp 1.75 trillion (US$7,000,000)," Sambara said.

"Tamsjadi gave Iwan Rp 1.24 billion (US$484,373), but the project didn't materialize and the money disappeared," he said. (04/12)