Most wanted bank swindler shot to death
JAKARTA (JP): A police detective shot to death the country's most wanted bank swindler during a raid in the parking lot of his office in Cikini, Central Jakarta, Wednesday evening.
Humala Hutabarat, 54, is believed to have embezzled at least Rp 15.39 billion (US$7.04 million) during a series of well- planned credit transfer frauds at seven state banks in North Sumatra and Jakarta since 1981.
The amount is billed as the biggest bank fraud ever of this type in Indonesia.
Speaking in a press meeting here yesterday, head of the Crime Investigation Directorate of the National Police Headquarters Brig. Gen. Rusdihardjo said that Hutabarat had many different aliases, addresses and identification marks. Hutabarat was shot in the back of the head from a short distance and died on the spot.
The well built suspect, he said, was trying to grab the gun from the officer at around 6:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Rusdihardjo was accompanied by National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. K. Ratta and head of the Bank Crime Investigation Unit Lt. Col. Made Mangku.
But Rusdihardjo regretted the fact that Hutabrat was dead.
"We wish that he was still alive in order to nab his accomplices," Rusdihardjo said.
Counterfeiting
Hutabarat, alias Wool Poltak Humala Hutabarat, alias Syamsud(d)in Hutabarat, alias Opung, reportedly carried out his operation by counterfeiting data and forms under the cooperation with a number of clearing staff of the respected state banks along with several partners, including his sons.
"We're still looking for a number of suspects believed to have been involved in Hutabarat's operation," Rusdihardjo said.
Hutabarat has two wives and seven children.
According to police data, Hutabarat started his illegal operation in 1981 at the BRI Siantar in his hometown in North Sumatra, making off with Rp 845 million. A year later, he stole Rp 445 million from BPD Medan but was arrested.
He managed to escape, however, before being brought to trial.
In 1984, he committed another fraud in Medan, North Sumatra, when he swindled Rp 1.4 billion from state-owned bank BPD.
It is believed that he then moved to Jakarta.
Police records show that his first target was BPD in Jakarta in 1988, which reported a loss of Rp 1.7 billion. Along with four other men, Hutabarat was arrested and jailed for one year.
Later, in 1992, BDN Melawai in South Jakarta reported a loss in its clearing account totaling Rp 3.2 billion. This time, Hutabarat and his gang, including the bank's staff, issued a fake account and put it into the clearing transfer process. The group then transferred the money through Hutabarat's bank account at Tat Lee Bank in Singapore.
Failure
The latest data about Hutabarat's operation was reported by two Exim Bank branch offices here. The Kebon Melati office in Central Jakarta reported a loss of Rp 2.6 billion and Tanjung Priok in North Jakarta Rp 5.2 billion.
"We absolutely believe that the amount was higher than those recorded since many banks often refuse to report the cases to the police for the sake of the banks' credibility," Rusdihardjo said.
Unfortunately, the police failed to confiscate any of Hutabarat's items or property, most of which is believed to have been purchased with the fraudulent money totaling Rp 15.39 billion.
"We only found two ID cards and a driving license, both with bogus addresses, and names in his pocket," Mangku said, adding that the police are unaware of his relatives' addresses.(bsr)