Witnesses confirm manipulation in BRI
JAKARTA (JP): In the trial of a BRI employee, charged with embezzling Rp 1.7 billion (US$772,727), a witness told the South Jakarta District Court on Monday that the defendant used his bank account to transfer millions of rupiah from the bank.
Ayo Sukarya, a friend of the defendant, Kamal Pahsyah, 38, told the court, presided over by Sudadi, that he was not aware that Kamal had used his bank account to swindle that much money.
Ayo said that between October 1994 and January 1995 the defendant transferred a total of Rp 830 million from BRI's Jl. Gatot Subroto branch, the defendant's office, to Ayo's account in the DKI bank in Matraman, Central Jakarta. BRI is a state-owned bank.
"Kamal usually cashed the money one day after the transfer," Ayo said.
Prosecutor TS Limbong accused the defendant of embezzling Rp 1.7 billion from BRI's Jl. Gatot Subroto branch by manipulating operational costs, including telephone, telex and electricity bills, as well as maintenance costs.
On Oct. 19 last year, the defendant, operational manager of BRI's Gatot Subroto branch, manipulated the amount of the telex bill, from Rp 6.4 million to Rp 86.4 million, the prosecutor said. "The defendant changed the telex bill to reduction costs."
On Nov. 5 he changed the amount of maintenance costs from Rp 2 million to Rp 92 million, the prosecutor said.
"The defendant has caused the bank to suffer a total of Rp 1.7 billion in state funds."
Ade Suryani, another witness, told the court that the defendant used the money for business.
She disclosed that the defendant bought two ships and three trucks, at a total cost of Rp 805 million. The ships and trucks were jointly-operated by transport company PT Talenta Transport Perkasa, Ade said.
Kamal also bought 500 square meters of land in Narogong, Bekasi, east of here, at a cost of Rp 150 million. "He also bought 40 percent of the shares of PT Mayestik, a private firm, worth Rp 350 million, she added.
The trial was adjourned until next Monday, to hear other witnesses.(29)