Soemarjono takes lie detector test on fake rupiah case

Soemarjono takes lie detector test on fake rupiah case

SURABAYA (JP): Surabaya Police interrogated on Saturday the
main suspect in the distribution of Rp 4.7 billion counterfeited
bank notes, Col. (ret) Soemarjono, for four hours using a lie
detector.

Surabaya Police chief Col. Sri Kresno Bawono told the media
here that Soemarjono was again questioned over his alleged
involvement in supplying the paper used to make the fake rupiah
notes.

The test was conducted by Surabaya Mobile Detective Unit chief
First Lt. Budi Prayogo, who was accompanied by two officers who
operated the instrument, Capt. Lukas Budi Susanto and Capt. M.
Ali.

The police asked about 10 questions during the session, Sri
Kresno said.

The lie detector was brought from the National Police Forensic
Laboratory (Puslabfor) in a bid to shed more light on the case,
which also involves 13 other suspects.

"Soemarjono looked very calm during the questioning. He gave a
lot of simple answers, such as 'I don't know', 'I don't
remember', 'It's not true', 'I forgot', 'It's up to them' and
those kinds of replies," Sri Kresno said.

The record of Soemarjono's answers was immediately sent to the
National Police Forensic Laboratory to be analyzed, he said.

"Soemarjono has been adamant with his denials. But remember, a
lie detector is not the only evidence. We have other proof that
he was involved in the scam," Sri Kresno said.

He said most of the other suspects said Soemarjono was the
mastermind behind the production and circulation of the
counterfeit money totaling Rp 4.7 billion.

"We will keep working to find out if there are any other men
behind Soemarjono and we'll proceed with the legal process and
take this case to court," the officer said.

This is probably the first major case which involves the use
of a lie detector test.

During the session Soemarjono was accompanied by his lawyer
Burhanuddin.

The investigators, however, said that Soemarjono looked
familiar with the operation of the lie detector.

"He seems to know a lot about how the instrument works," a
police officer, who witnessed the questioning, said.

Soemarjono was the manager of the triumphant Indonesian Thomas
Cup badminton team in Kuala Lumpur this year before a further
investigation alleged his involvement in the case. (nur/edt)