Man questioned over swindling of Pakistanis
Man questioned over swindling of Pakistanis
JAKARTA (JP): City police have started questioning a local man
for his alleged role in cheating and defaming two Pakistani
tourists.
Spokesman Lt. Col. Bambang Haryoko told The Jakarta Post over
the weekend that police detectives have found strong evidence,
during their investigations, that Rauf Afero tried to cheat and
frame Muhammad, 25, and Usman, 26.
Bambang gave no details about the amount of money or when and
how Rauf met the two tourists.
After a series of investigations, police came to a preliminary
conclusion that Rauf had allegedly borrowed an amount of cash
from the two tourists, which he later refused to return when the
visiting Pakistanis asked him to, they said.
Rauf then invited the two tourists to stay at his house on Jl.
Gunung Sahari in Central Jakarta, the city police spokesman said.
On Sunday morning, June 11, Rauf was still unable to pay back
his debt, making the two tourists angry, Bambang added.
"It's true that the Pakistanis attacked Rauf, but it's all
because of his own actions," Bambang said.
Based on the assault incident, Rauf intended to lodge a formal
charge, through the nearby police station, against the two
tourists, for having beaten him up, he said.
But instead, Bambang said, Rauf allegedly placed several grams
of heroin in the Pakistani tourists' bag, as an act of revenge.
Rauf then reported the assault incident, along with his find
of heroin in their bag, to Central Jakarta police headquarters.
A number of anti-drug detectives went to the tourists' rooms
and found several grams of heroin, as well as other illegal
drugs, in their bags, Bambang said.
Being foreigners, the two were escorted to city police
headquarters for further questioning, during which both
Pakistanis refused to accept the report by Rauf.
"One of them said that he has to take Valium, under orders
from his doctor," Bambang said.
During questioning, Muhammad and Usman swore that they have
nothing to do with either the heroin, or the other drugs,
claiming that Rauf entrapped them, he said.
Based on the information given by the tourist, city police
detectives returned to the scene of the crime to investigate
further, which let them to the preliminary conclusion that Rauf
had allegedly tried to frame them. (bsr)