Court approval anticipated for seizure of Soeharto's assets

JAKARTA (JP): The Attorney General's Office is awaiting approval from the South Jakarta District Court to seize assets belonging to former president Soeharto as evidence of his alleged graft.

Attorney General Marzuki Darusman said on Monday his office had asked for the court's approval a week ago. He said the assets were located in South Jakarta.

"We have sent a member of the state prosecutors team dealing with Soeharto's case today to check whether the court has given its approval or not. But we haven't heard of it up to now," he said at his office on Monday afternoon.

Spokesman for the office Yushar Yahya said the assets being sought were any which belonged to Soeharto and his charitable foundations.

"Both documents and properties suspected of being related to the corruption cases will be seized," he told a media briefing earlier in the day.

The investigation into Soeharto's alleged corruption has intensified over the past few weeks, with the former president placed under city arrest and a travel ban. Two of his children have also been questioned as witnesses in connection with the management of their father's tax-free charitable foundations.

Soeharto is suspected of abusing his power and authority as president when issuing government regulations and decrees to amass funds for seven foundations he set up and chaired.

But the questioning of Soeharto was impeded when the state- appointed medical team from Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital declared last week the 78-year-old man unfit to face further questioning. The doctors suggested that Soeharto undergo more comprehensive medical tests.

During a 1998 investigation, Soeharto disclosed that he had Rp 22 billion (some US$3 million) deposited in three private banks -- BCA, BBD and BRI -- and that his personal properties comprised two houses in Jakarta and five hectares of land, including the family's grave site in Surakarta in Central Java.

A high-ranking official at the Attorney General's Office, who requested anonymity, said the seizure would affect Soeharto's other assets situated elsewhere in the country.

"We were doing this step-by-step," he added. (01)