Suspect's whereabouts unknown

Suspect's whereabouts unknown

JAKARTA (JP): City police have no clues about the whereabouts
of an executive of a private firm believed to have cheated a
female entrepreneur.

As of yesterday, police had failed to obtain a statement from
Mohammad Alzier Tabranie, president director of a private
company, who the entrepreneur charged took possession of her land
documents after he promised to help her get a Rp 100 million
(US$44,700) loan from a private bank. The man also claimed to be
a son-in-law of Coordinating Minister for Political Affairs and
Security Soesilo Soedarman.

"Even I myself could not help the police find out his
whereabouts," Nova, the entrepreneur told The Jakarta Post
yesterday.

By law, police are required to issue an arrest warrant when a
suspect fails to answer a police summons.

A day earlier, a spokesman for the coordinating minister
ordered city police investigators to make a thorough
investigation of Tabranie.

Minister Soesilo's spokesman, Col. Maman Sulaiman, also said
that Tabranie has no relationship with the minister at all.

Police pledged to immediately complete the dossiers on the
case, hoping for the appearance of Tabranie for further
questioning on his alleged role as claimed by Nova.

"We'll thoroughly investigate the case," City Police Chief
Brig. Gen. Dibyo Widodo told reporters yesterday.

So far, police have collected statements from two witnesses,
including Nova and her father.

The land certificates held by Tabranie reveal that Nova is the
owner of a 144-square-meter plot of land, which has a two-story
house on it. The property is valued at approximately Rp 400
million.

Nova said in her complaint to the police that she trusted
Tabranie after he explained that he was Minister Soesilo's
son-in-law.

In his letter addressed to Nova's lawyer, Muswar Hamidy,
Tabranie's lawyer, M. Natsir N.S., admitted that the certificates
are still with his client.

Natsir said that Tabranie is only willing to return the
certificates to Nova if she repays Rp 15 million which she
borrowed from his client.

"I never borrowed any money from him," argued Nova. "So for
what reason should I give him anything?"

According to Nova, her lawyers have gone to Tabranie's house
at least three times, requesting that her documents be returned,
but was informed that he was not available. (bsr)