Police to summon expert witnesses about fake money

SURABAYA (JP): East Java Police Chief, Maj. Gen. Da'i Bachtiar, said here on Friday that expert witnesses would be summoned soon to testify in the counterfeit money case involving retired Army officers.

"They will be officials from state-owned money factory Perum Peruri and forensic experts from the National Police laboratory in Surabaya," Da'i said, adding that it was not easy to disclose the case, which involves Col. (ret) Soemarjono, manager of the Indonesian Thomas Cup badminton team in Kuala Lumpur this year.

"Soemarjono has been adamant with his denials in the illegal business. But, believe me, the police won't stop here," he said after attending the inauguration of new Surabaya City Police Chief Col. Sukohardjo Cokro Bawono. Sukohardjo replaced Col. Bambang Sutrisno.

According to Da'i, some of the 13 other suspects have said that Soemarjono was the mastermind of the production and circulation of counterfeit money totaling Rp 4.7 billion.

"We will work further to find out if there are any other men behind Soemarjono," said Da'i.

Last Tuesday, in cooperation with Jakarta Police, Surabaya Police officers searched the house of Shi'in in Jakarta. "The officers found a role of red thread believed to be used in production of the bogus notes."

Shi'in, a retired Army first corporal, is one of the suspects. He was allegedly in charge of putting finishing touches on the fake notes production.

He said that some Surabaya officers were in Jakarta to pick up Lista, another suspect detained by the Jakarta Police in connection with the case. She told police that she got paper for the fake money from Soemarjono.

Police did not question anybody on Friday, pending the arrival of Lista and the chauffeur of Soemarjono, Da'i said. "We are still looking for some other people believed to have links to the production and circulation of the counterfeit money." (nur/sur)