Two Cameroon nationals arrested for swindle

JAKARTA (JP): Central Jakarta Police detectives arrested two Cameroon nationals Friday night at the Dai-Ichi Hotel in Central Jakarta for allegedly swindling a local of US$4,000.

The head of the Central Jakarta Police detective unit, Capt. Budiono S., said Saturday that Ekango Samuel, 33, and Michael Yenju, 23, had fooled South Jakartan Gembong TS by telling him they could duplicate greenbacks up to 10 times in a matter of seconds.

The officer quoted Gembong as saying that he was told by the two suspects from Douala city in Cameroon to visit them at the hotel to settle a business transaction.

"Gembong and the Cameroonians already knew each other as businessmen," Budiono said but gave no further explanation.

Based on the invitation, Gembong -- accompanied by a friend Mulyani, 28 -- met the two at their hotel Friday afternoon, he said.

During the meeting, the two foreigners assured Gembong that they could duplicate American dollars just by bonding carbon paper to the notes already smeared with a certain chemical liquid.

After giving the brief explanation, the two then simply asked their victim to hand over all the dollars he had.

"I was made to believe their extraordinary skills. I just gave them all the dollars I had with me," Gembong later told police investigators.

According to Gembong, after putting the carbon paper on the victim's dollars, Samuel and Yenju then asked him to fetch some water to use to clean the chemicals.

However, the whole process had been completed when he returned to the room with his "money" wrapped in an envelope, Budiono said.

The officer did not disclose the whereabouts of Mulyani at the time.

The Cameroonians then gave the envelope to Gembong and warned him not to open it until the next day.

On arriving at his home on Jl. Bangka II Pela in South Jakarta, Gembong was surprised when he found only pieces of black paper in the envelope.

He immediately reported the case to the police.

Budiono said that the Cameroonians did not attempt to resist arrest.

After examining their hotel room, police found Gembong's $4,000 hidden in the bathroom ceiling.

The police also seized material evidence, such as the chemicals and the accompanying equipment, white powder and pieces of black paper.

It is unclear why Gembong trusted the foreigners but he said that he might have been hypnotized.

Last month, the Central Jakarta police detectives arrested a 35-year-old Italian for allegedly passing off counterfeit American dollars to a local trader.

Rio persuaded his victim, Liem, 30, by saying that he was willing to change Liem's $1,000 with his $5,000 without any troublesome procedures.

A few minutes later, Liem realized that he had exchanged his money for bogus notes. (ivy)