Australian Court Orders Indonesian Banker Extradition

SYDNEY (AP)-- An Australian court on Tuesday upheld an order to extradite a banker accused in Indonesia's largest corporate fraud.

Hendra Rahardja applied in the Federal Court for a review of a magistrate order for expulsion from Australia, claiming he would not receive a fair trial in Indonesia because of alleged prejudice against ethnic Chinese there.

But Justice Brian Tamberlin ruled the evidence did not support Rahardja's claim and dismissed his application.

"I do not think there is any substantial evidence that this applicant may be prejudiced at his trial on the ground of his Chinese ethnicity, or would be treated any differently from any other Indonesian accused of similar crimes," Tamberlin said.

Rahardja, 56 years old, was president of PT Bank Harapan Sentosa, which shut down in September 1997 during Indonesia's economic crisis while holding deposits worth around $280 million.

The Australian court was told he is accused of approving loans from the bank to his family companies and falsifying records.

Police are now expected to proceed with the extradition.