P

rosecutors are asking the South Jakarta District Court to sentence former Citibank Indonesia executive Inong Malinda Dee to prison for embezzling Rp 44 billion (US4.88 million) from her clients at Citibank.

In a hearing presided over by lead judge Guzrizal, prosecutors said Malinda violated the laws on banking, money laundering and money laundering prevention.

“The defendant, Inong Malinda Dee, has been proven guilty, and we demand a sentence of 13 years’ imprisonment,” prosecutor Tatang Sutarna said on Thursday.

Prosecutors also asked that Malinda pay a Rp 10 billion fine or serve an additional seven months
in prison.

Tatang said that Malinda had enjoyed the fruits of her crimes and had incriminated herself in court by providing convoluted answers.

Malinda’s lawyers, however, said that their client’s punishment should be mitigated by a lack of prior convictions and her cooperation during the courtroom proceedings.

The embezzlement saga, which was a major blow to Citibank’s reputation in the country, arose last year when 34 of Malinda’s premium clients complained money had been transferred out of their accounts in amounts ranging from Rp 20 million to Rp 1.4 billion. Investigations discovered that Malinda had carried out 117 illegal transactions.

Prosecutors demanded that the court order the seizure of all of Malinda’s properties and her luxury cars. “The evidence comprising a red Ferrari 430 Scuderia with the license plate B 125 DEE must be returned to Citibank,” Tatang said.

The prosecutor also asked that several other luxury cars owned by Malinda be confiscated and given to Citibank, including a Ferrari California, a Mercedez Benz E-350, a Hummer and a Toyota Fortuner.

Tatang said that Citibank had to comply with the credit procedures of other financial companies before it could take possession of the cars.

Prosecutors also demanded the seizure of several properties owned by Malinda, including three apartments, a shop house and land in Cianjur, Sentul and Cibinong, West Java.

Malinda’s lawyer Januardi said the sentence demanded for Malinda was unfair, arguing that prosecutors had made several unsubstantiated claims in court.

“For example, there was a witness who was not present at the trial but was mentioned by the prosecutors,” he said after court had adjourned.

Another lawyer for Malinda, Muara Karta, said that her client would sue Citibank after a verdict was issued in her case. “We will definitely file a civil lawsuit against Citibank because our client has been harmed. She has been a relationship manager for four years but she was sent to prison without any protection from Citibank.”

Malinda’s husband, Andhika Gumilang, 23, was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment and a Rp 350 million fine for helping Malinda to commit her alleged offenses.

The court has also convicted several of Malinda’s alleged accomplices, including her younger sister, Visca Lovitasari, who was ordered to serve her custodial sentence under house arrest, given her good attitude during the trial and her two small children.

Malinda’s in-law Ismail bin Janim was sentenced to 44 months’ imprisonment and a fine of Rp 200 million.

The court adjourned until Feb. 23 to hear Malinda’s defense statement.