Police detain Ade for alleged counterfeiting

JAKARTA (JP): South Jakarta Police detained well-known pop singer turned Christian preacher Ade Manuhutu for questioning in the early hours of Saturday on suspicion of being involved in a counterfeit money ring.

The South Jakarta Police detectives' chief Comr. Napoleon Bonaparte confirmed the arrest and said that Ade was detained by police during an operation on Jl. Metro Pondok Indah at around 2:00 a.m., during which they found counterfeiting equipment in a metallic suitcase Ade had with him in a taxi.

The 54-year-old Ade was reportedly on his way home to Kebayoran Lama after conducting business in Pondok Indah.

"First Pak Ade told our officers that his bag was locked and could not be opened, but we suspected that he must be hiding something in the suitcase. We then took him here to our headquarters and opened the suitcase," Napoleon told reporters.

Ade, whose song Nona Anna became a top hit in 1970s, claimed that the contents of the suitcase were things needed by the members of his church.

However, inside the suitcase police found several silk- screening tools, papers the size of dollar bills, bottles of black ink, plastic and a chemical powder.

"Pak Ade still denies that the evidence belongs to him. He told us the suitcase belongs to his friend, a foreigner," Napoleon said.

Napoleon said he strongly believed that if Ade was involved in counterfeiting, then he was not working alone.

Police planned to summon several names mentioned by Ade but declined to identify them, saying the summonses were part of the police's efforts to investigate the case.

Napoleon said Ade could be charged under Article 245 of the Criminal Code on counterfeiting, which carries a maximum penalty of 15-years imprisonment. (emf)