AGO still undecided on Soeharto case

AGO still undecided on Soeharto case

Tiarma Siboro and Abu Hanifah, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Attorney General's Office is still undecided on whether or
not to pursue corruption cases involving former president
Soeharto, who remains in a critical condition since being rushed
to hospital on Monday.

Deputy spokesman at the Attorney General's Office Chuck
Soeryosumpeno said on Wednesday that his office had not decided
if it would press ahead with the corruption investigations into
Soeharto, who ruled the country with an iron fist for more than
three decades.

The Supreme Court issued a legal opinion on Friday, saying
that the Attorney General's Office held the highest authority in
determining whether or not corruption investigations against
Soeharto should be pursued.

Chuck Soeryosumpeno said state prosecutors could not order a
halt of the investigation into the former leader as they were
still struggling to locate his dossier.

According to him, the South Jakarta District Court had not
returned the dossier to the South Jakarta Prosecutor's Office
after it had decided to stop the trial of Soeharto due to health
considerations in September 2000.

Head of South Jakarta Prosecutor's Office Antasari Azhar had a
similar view yesterday, saying his office "has not received the
dossier from the court".

But South Jakarta District Court spokesman Soedharto told The
Jakarta Post on Wednesday that his office had already returned
the dossier to the South Jakarta Prosecutor's Office.

"Immediately after we decided to drop the case, we returned
the dossier to the prosecutor's office," he said.

Soeharto, 80, was forced to step down from the presidency in
May 1998 and is accused of stealing US$571 million from the state
by funneling money from seven charity foundations he chaired into
businesses belonging to his family and cronies.

Soeharto's defense lawyers have argued that their client
should not have to face court proceedings again due to his
permanent illness, and particularly due to the three strokes he
has suffered.

At its hearing in September last year, the South Jakarta
District Court supported the lawyers' argument and deleted the
registration number of the case.

The South Jakarta Prosecutor's Office filed an objection with
the Jakarta High Court, which overturned the lower court's
decision.

Nevertheless, in February the Supreme Court supported the
South Jakarta District Court's verdict by lifting Soeharto's city
arrest status and ordering the Attorney General's Office to pay
for Soeharto's medical treatment.

As Soeharto has been hospitalized due to the deterioration of
his health, his team of lawyers plans to speak to Chief Justice
Bagir Manan as well as Attorney General M.A. Rachman, to inform
them that Soeharto cannot be tried due to his state of health.