AGO holds authority on trial against Soeharto<\/p>\n
Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Chief Justice Bagir Manan said on Friday that the Attorney
\nGeneral's Office itself had to decide on its own whether it
\nwanted to continue with corruption proceedings against former
\npresident Soeharto.<\/p>\n
"The Attorney General's Office has the authority to issue an
\norder halting the investigation and stopping the proceedings. As
\nthe prosecutorial institution, the office must make the
\ndeclaration by itself without seeking our legal opinion," Bagir
\nManan told reporters at his office.<\/p>\n
Bagir made the remarks in response to a letter sent by the
\nAttorney General's Office two weeks ago seeking the Supreme
\nCourt's legal opinion on the matter in view of the fact that
\nSoeharto was permanently incapacitated and unable to stand trial.<\/p>\n
Since Soeharto stepped down from the presidency in May 1998,
\nthere have been constant public demands for him to be put on
\ntrial for suspected corruption during his time in power. He has
\nbeen accused of stealing US$571 million from the state by
\nfunneling money from seven charitable foundations that he chaired
\ninto businesses belonging to his family and cohorts.<\/p>\n
To date, a trial for Soeharto has never been able to get off
\nthe ground due to his pleading ill health. Many, however, doubt
\nthe statements made by the physicians.<\/p>\n
During the last week of B.J. Habibie's presidency in October
\n1999, the Attorney General's Office even halted the
\ninvestigation, saying that no evidence of wrongdoing had been
\nfound.<\/p>\n
After being appointed Attorney General, Marzuki Darusman
\nannounced in December 1999 that the investigation into Soeharto's
\nalleged graft was being reopened.<\/p>\n
The South Jakarta District Court on Sept. 28 of last year,
\nhowever, decided to drop the case on the grounds that the
\ndefendant was physically and mentally unfit to stand trial.<\/p>\n
In February, the Supreme Court supported that decision by
\nlifting Soeharto's city arrest status and ordering the Attorney
\nGeneral's Office to pay for the 80-year-old former dictator's
\nmedical treatment.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ago-holds-authority-on-trial-against-soeharto-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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