An Australian property developer who was arrested in Bali after being on police’s wanted list for fraud and embezzlement has taken up residence in Kerobokan Prison while prosecutors prepare their indictment against him.
Arrested on Feb. 1, Eric Bevan Gillet is accused of setting up a couple more than two years ago when he allegedly sold them a villa in Oct. 2013 from his plan for a multimillion-dollar villa complex, Xanadu Lifestyle Resort.
Police say Gillet was unable to present copies of the land certificate and development license when Ketut Semadi and Tommy Comeford requested the documents after transferring more than Rp 6.7 billion into the 55-year-old’s account.
The couple reported Gillet to the police in December 2014, but police didn’t put him on their wanted list until December 2015—an action that Gillet’s girlfriend says was unjust, claiming that Gillet was hospitalized for a stroke when police failed to locate him for arrest.
Based on what Gillet’s lawyer, Haposan Sihombing, has said, there seems to be some confusion on his client’s behalf on why he’s in trouble.
“He only asked me, `Why is the case continuing?’ … I then explained that he has been named as suspect in a fraud and embezzlement case.
“I told him that I can’t guarantee anything, but I will fight for him in the trial,” Sihombing told reporters, as quoted by AAP.
Prosecutor Purwanta Sudarmaji said the indictment will be in the works for the next 20 days, so his case “would be brought to trial soon”.
