Ten men in court over Rp 2 billion banknote forgery

JAKARTA (JP): A prosecutor asked the East Jakarta District Court yesterday to imprison 10 men for up to two years each for forging banknotes with a face value of Rp 2 billion (US$551,724).

Prosecutor Ismanto told the court that the forged money, in the form of Rp 20,000 bills, was printed at a house in the Villa Melati Mas housing complex, in Serpong, Tangerang, between Oct. 5 last year and Feb. 2.

Before the court were the owner of the house, Ganis Setyono alias Bastian, 42; four printing workers: Hadi Nasekhan, 32, Buang Santoso, 32, Junaedi Salamun, 51, and Herman Sujarno, 33; and five salesmen: Khodzi, 41, M. Mukromin, 40, Stat Sukarnyo, 44, Sodikin, 46 and Yohannes Wijaya, 47.

Ismanto said Ganis, who was the alleged mastermind, recruited the four printing workers from Kudus in Central Java.

Ganis paid each of the men between Rp 500,000 and Rp 5 million up front, he said.

He paid Rp 45 million for the printing press -- purchased in Senen, Central Jakarta -- a cutting machine, a pickup truck, film and other equipment and materials, the prosecutor said.

Ganis recruited Khodzi, Mukromin, Sukarnyo, Sodikin and Yohannes to sell the money, he said.

He asked the salesmen to offer Rp 4 million in fake bills for Rp 1 million in authentic money. They admitted selling Rp 46 million in fake bills and collecting Rp 12 million, he said.

Ismanto said police arrested Ganis, Hadi and Yohannes in a Kijang van on Jl. Vini Vidi Vici in East Jakarta while they were trying to sell fake bills to a prospective buyer.

Police apprehended the remaining seven defendants after interrogating Ganis, he said.

Ismanto said Ganis, who allegedly funded the crime, told police that another man, Sunaryo, proposed the forgery scam and introduced him to Hadi, a money printing expert, and the other defendants.

He said police were still looking for Sunaryo.

Ismanto said the defendants, who were tried in three sessions, were charged under Article 244 of the Criminal Code.

He asked the court to sentence Ganis to two years and six months in jail, Hadi to two years in jail, Buang to one year and six months and the remaining seven defendants to one year and four months in jail.

He also asked the court to confiscate the printing equipment.

Presiding judge M. Toyib adjourned the trial next week to hear the defendants' plea. (jun)