Money forger stands trial

MEDAN, North Sumatra: The district court here is trying a 31- year-old medical student on charges of forging Rp 10,000 bank notes.

The forgery, which involved a sophisticated computer and had been going on for several months, has fermented unrest in the provincial capital, presiding judge M. Syarifuddin Harahap said.

Harahap said the fake bank notes the defendant made with a Japanese-made computer looked very convincing except that they do not have a lead security strip in them.

Eben Ezer, an assistant at the shop where the accused bought the computer, testified that he never imagined the sophisticated equipment could make bank notes.

Eben said the defendant once asked his advice on how to print on high quality paper with good results.

The defendant had printed 16,000 bank notes "worth" Rp 16 million, Antara reported. (pan)