4 Defendants In Fake Money Factory Case In Gowa Threatened With 10 Years In Prison

A total of four defendants from 18 suspects in the circulation and manufacture of counterfeit money finally underwent their first trial at the Class IIB District Court (PN), Sungguminasa, Gowa Regency, South Sulawesi.

The four defendants, namely Andi Ibrahim (54), John Biliter Panjaitan (68), Muhammad Syahruna (52) Ambo Ala were presented to hear the reading of the indictment from the Public Prosecutor.

Head of the General Crimes Section (Kasi Pidum) of the Gowa District Attorney Sitti Nurdaliah stated that the defendant was charged with Article 36 (threats to a maximum of 10 years in prison) and Article 37 of Law Number 7 of 2011 concerning currency.

This rule regulates the act of making, storing, and circulating counterfeit money with a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to IDR 10 billion.

"There are four files, with four defendants. Regarding the charges, almost all of them are regarding counterfeit rupiah, and the agenda is that none of the legal advisors have submitted an exception, so it will be continued with evidence on Wednesday, May 7," he said as quoted by ANTARA, Tuesday, April 29.

For the role of each defendant, Andi Ibrahim in addition to providing some tools or materials to make counterfeit rupiah also circulated. Meanwhile, the defendant Syahrun made counterfeit money and sold it to Andi Ibrahim.

"The roles of the defendants Ambo Ala and Jhon Biliater also helped Andi Ibrahim and Syahruna in the manufacturing and distribution process," he explained.

Meanwhile, when asked about the relationship related to the suspect Annar Salahuddin Sampetoding, the beginning of making money because of Annar's idea (upal brain) ordered the defendant Syahruna to make it at his house on Jalan Sunu, Makassar City.

"Because Syahruna produced several sheets, then she showed but was not precise and could not enter the ATM, finally Annar ordered to stop, but what was clear was that there was already production," he said.

However, Nurdaliah continued, none of those produced at Annar's house were circulated. When asked to stop Upal's production, Syahruna did not stop it.

Furthermore, Annar introduced Syahruna to the defendant Andi Ibrahim (former head of the library of UIN Alauddin) until his friendship continued and then made counterfeit money in the UIN Alauddin Campus room in Makassar in Samata, Gowa Regency.

After that Annar did not know the continuation (of counterfeit money) because she had ordered to stop, but (continued). For the tools and materials under Annar's house from Jalan Sunu to the library, it was at Andi Ibrahim's initiative," he said.

The representative of the defendant's legal adviser Andi Ibrahim, Alwi Wijaya, after the trial said that based on the indictment, the prosecutor read out according to the minutes signed at the Gowa Police, his party stated that there was no objection to that.

For further trial preparations, he said, 11 witnesses have prepared and want not to be examined globally, but one by one, so that they can be split (separated) where witnesses are burdensome and relieve the defendant so that his direction can be assessed.

"We, from the attorney, God willing, there will be witnesses. Later, if there are expert witnesses, we can bring them later, there will be expert witnesses from outside South Sulawesi later. There are two witnesses, one adicat and one expert," he said.

Alwi Wijaya added that this expert witness will convey his expertise whether this counterfeit money can indeed be spent according to the original or not. Because, if there is counterfeit money that can be spent, some after entering the ATM machine then sound so that it is considered fake.

Previously, the police raided a counterfeit money factory in one of the rooms of the UIN Alauddin Campus Library in Makassar, Samata, Gowa Regency on December 17, 2024, after the development of the arrest of the upal dealer. From the results of the development, the police determined as many as 18 suspects involved in making, producing and distributing the upal.