Witnesses testify against Hartono

Witnesses testify against Hartono

JAKARTA (JP): The affidavits of two prostitutes and their
customers shed light yesterday on the basis for the pandering
charges brought against Hartono Setyawan, in a trial session at
the South Jakarta District Court.

The prostitutes, Nova Novianti and Natalia Risani, said in
their written testimony that Hartono, the alleged owner of a
high-class brothel in South Jakarta, was acting as their
guardian.

"I was working for Hartono when I was captured on July 23,"
Nova said in an affidavit read out by chief prosecutor Rotua
Marpaung.

Nova, 20, said she was captured by the police with a guest in
a room at the Century Park Hotel. She said she operated at the
hotel on a regular basis with 13 other prostitutes.

She said she charged her customers Rp 750,000 (US$343) for
three hours and Rp 1.5 million for overnight, the same rates
Hartono reportedly admitted to collecting in the preliminary
investigation.

Natalia, 24, made similar accusations against Hartono in her
affidavit. She said all customers, under Hartono's arrangements,
had access to his call-girls' services at the hotel.

In the same court session the affidavits of two customers
stated that they were caught with the call-girls at the hotel.

Joko Purwadi, 48, a resident of Petamburan, West Jakarta, told
the court in the written testimony that he was just about to
engage in intercourse with Nova in room 1209 of the hotel when
the police entered the room.

Joko, an employee of a private company, said he was not there
alone.

Tampubolon, 32, a resident of Cikokol, South Jakarta, made a
similar statement. He said he was about to have sex with Natalia
in room 1217, when the police came in.

Tampubolon, also an employee of a private company, said that
he had not known how much Natalia's services would cost him. He
said he was being entertained by a business partner.

Notorious

Hartono, 42, has a long-standing reputation as a notorious
pimp running high-class call girls.

He was arrested on July 27, at his mansion in the Pondok Indah
housing complex in South Jakarta.

He was reportedly hiding behind a cupboard in his bedroom,
when police officers went into the two-story mansion. He made no
resistance when he was handcuffed and led away.

The alleged panderer was captured following the arrest of six
occupants of a well known high-class brothel on Jl. Prapanca
Raya, South Jakarta.

The six persons are three known prostitutes and Kho Ghay Goen,
alias Gunawan, Hartono's assistant; Hamzah, a receptionist, and
Ari Dewanto, the driver of a minivan used as transportation for
the call girls.

Hartono was arrested in 1986 for running a house of
prostitution at the "Prapanca House", a popular name used by his
clients for his brothel.

He was sentenced by the South Jakarta District Court to eight
months imprisonment at that time. The verdict was later overruled
by the Jakarta High Court, which then sentenced him to two years
probation.

Yesterday's court session was adjourned until next Wednesday
to hear the testimony of several more witnesses.

The South Jakarta District Court also held a session
yesterday for the separate trail of Gunawan, Hamzah, and Ari
Dewanto, three other defendants up on charges of aiding in
procurement of prostitutes. (imn)