Indonesia - Serbia Ties Assisted Maria Lumowa's Extradition

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian National Police spokesperson Insp. General Raden Prabowo Argo Yuwono on Thursday said that Maria Pauline Lumowa, or Maria Lumowa, was able to be extradited back to Indonesia thanks to the partnership between police, the Law and Human Rights Ministry, and the Serbian government. 

“There was intense communication between the national police, state-ministries, and the Serbian authorities regarding the whereabouts of the suspect,” said Argo at the police criminal investigation unit headquarters in Jakarta, July 9. 

The spokesman expressed his gratitude following the issuance of a red notice for the past several years that have produced results. He also said that Serbia and Indonesia will never forget its historical past that goes back to the era of Indonesia’s first president, Soekarno. 

“Serbia assisted in handing over [Maria Lumowa] to Indonesia,” said the Inspector General. “Our history goes back to the era of Soekarno, our communication was established prior to Serbia’s disunity.”

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: Govt to Track Maria Pauline Lumowa's Assets Abroad

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