State presses for trial of African

JAKARTA (JP): A state prosecutor urged Central Jakarta District Court yesterday to try a Cameroonian soccer player who has been accused of swindling Rp 10 million ($4,200) from two Indonesians.

Prosecutor Rukmini Djalil called on the court to reject counter arguments put forward by lawyers defending 24-year-old Fementeu Nguefack Berlain Erick.

The lawyers earlier argued for dismissal, claiming inaccuracies in the dossier, including the fact that he was a Christian and not a Moslem. They also claimed arrest procedures were not properly followed.

An interpreter provided by the state prosecutor translated the hearing into English for the defendant.

Erick was arrested in March based on a report by two Indonesians who said the man swindled them.

The complainants said they handed over Rp 10 million to Erick who allegedly promised he could double their money. They received paper cuttings instead.

The prosecutor has accused Erick of violating Article 378 of the Criminal Code on deception. If found guilty, he faces a maximum four years' imprisonment. (12)