Maria Lumowa; Police Initiate Correspondence with Dutch Embassy

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Chief of Police criminal investigation unit, Commissioner General Listyo Sigit Prabowo announced that his institution will soon initiate correspondence with the Embassy of the Netherlands upon further questioning the extradited fugitive Maria Lumowa. 

“Our next agenda is to initiate correspondence with the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to provide the suspect with legal assistance,” said Listyo in a text message to Tempo on Thursday, July 9. 

Maria Lumowa, who has been a Dutch national since 1979, has already appointed a lawyer from the embassy. Coordinating Minister of Politics, Law, and Security, Mahfud MD, had also assured that the extradited fugitive would be given her rights throughout the legal process in Indonesia. 

“I have spoken directly with Maria Pauline Lumowa. I told her that the law will treat her well and pay attention to her human rights. Legal assistance is a given,” said Mahfud in the Soekarno-Hatta Airport press conference on Thursday.

Maria Lumowa is one of the suspects the Indonesian authorities had accused of embezzling loans totaling $136 million and 56 million euros issued by state-owned bank BNI between October 2002 and July 2003.

Indonesian police argued she had used fake “letter of credit” to get the export loans for mining and plantation company Gramarindo Group, which she co-founded with Adrian Waworuntu - who is serving life in prison. 

Read: Indonesia - Serbia Ties Assisted Maria Lumowa's Extradition

ANDITA RAHMA | ACHMAD H. ASSEGAF