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)