Attorney general to submit Soeharto report next month

Attorney general to submit Soeharto report next month

JAKARTA (JP): Acting Attorney General Ismudjoko said on
Thursday his office would submit the final report on its probe on
the corruption, collusion and nepotism allegations against
Soeharto to President B.J. Habibie by the end of September.

"By the end of September, we will submit the final result...
to the President, as stated in the Presidential Instruction
30/1998 on the investigation of the case," Ismudjoko said as
quoted by Antara.

Habibie will use the report in his speech of accountability
before the General Session of the People's Consultative Assembly
(MPR).

Ismudjoko said his office encountered difficulty in gathering
evidence and securing witnesses, including expert witnesses, who
would testify against the former president.

He noted that naming someone a suspect in a corruption case
needed witnesses and evidence, apart from a statement from the
suspect, according to the Criminal Code.

"Until now, we do not have enough material to name Soeharto as
a suspect," he added.

Meanwhile, spokesman for the Attorney General's Office,
Soehandoyo, said the "Team of 13" led by the deputy attorney
general for special crimes, Ramelan, was investigating Soeharto
over corruption allegations involving the seven foundations he
formerly headed and the Timor national car project.

The foundations are Dharmais, Dakab, Supersemar, Trikora,
Gotong Royong, Amal Bhakti Muslim Pancasila and Dana Sejahtera
Mandiri.

"Next month, the Team of 13 will call several expert witnesses
and the head of the financial department of the Jakarta
administration," Soehandoyo added.

He said the Attorney General's Office would continue the probe
if there was sufficient evidence stated in the final report.

"But if there is not enough evidence, the investigation of
Soeharto will be stopped," he said as quoted by Antara.

Meanwhile, chairman of the Nahdlatul Ulama Abdurrahman Wahid
reiterated that a political solution to the Soeharto question
using Islamic laws would be a suitable compromise to safeguard
the interests of the majority of the people.

"Let's give a chance to this compromise because we have not
been able to resort to legal formal solutions," Abdurrahman, who
is also known as Gus Dur, told a discussion on the issue here on
Thursday.

Other speakers included Minister of Information Muhammad
Yunus, former deputy attorney general on intelligence affairs
Maj. Gen. (ret) Syamsu Djalal and lawyer Abdul Hakim Garuda
Nusantara.

"If we keep on pushing for formal legal solutions, Soeharto
will end up being acquitted," Abdurrahman said, citing similar
cases concerning former Philippine president Ferdinand Marcos and
Reza Pahlevi, the deposed shah of Iran.

"This compromise (would help) secure the return of the fortune
that is suspected to be the results of corruption," he added.

Syamsu Djalal and Yunus insisted that legal solutions must
still be sought.

Abdul Hakim supported Abdurrahman's proposal, saying it was an
effort to overcome the shortcomings of legal procedures. (swe)