Court approves request to seize charity assets

Court approves request to seize charity assets

JAKARTA (JP): The South Jakarta District Court gave its
preliminary approval on Tuesday to the request by the Attorney
General's Office to seize assets belonging to seven charity
foundations set up and chaired by former president Soeharto.

A member of the state prosecutors team investigating
Soeharto's alleged corruption confirmed to The Jakarta Post that
the official approval would be issued on Wednesday pending
completion of the resume of the ongoing questioning of the former
ruler.

The source, who requested anonymity, said that one of
Soeharto's assets situated in South Jakarta would be confiscated
as evidence following the approval.

He said that according to the letter of request from the
Attorney General's Office dated April 18, the court will allow
the sealing of Granadi Building located on Jl. H.R. Rasuna Said.

The building is currently used as the offices of Soeharto's
foundations, including the Supersemar, Dana Karya Abadi, Amal
Bakti Muslim Pancasila, Trikora, Dana Sejahtera Mandiri, Gotong
Royong Kemanusiaan and Dharmais.

A major part of the 20-story building is being leased for
commercial purposes.

"The building will be first to be seized to avoid the
possibility that the suspect transfers ownership of the
facility," he said.

He added that the team of prosecutors are listing other assets
belonging to Soeharto. "We will soon submit further requests for
seizure after clarifying the list of assets."

Soeharto is suspected of abusing his power and authority as
president by issuing decrees and government regulations to amass
funds through the foundations.

Gambling

Separately, Attorney General Marzuki Darusman announced on
Tuesday that his office in cooperation with the National Police
would take actions against gambling operations allegedly
organized by young businessman Tommy Winata.

Marzuki said that during his conversation with National Police
Chief Let. Gen. Rusdihardjo on Monday night, the two institutions
had agreed to follow up President Abdurrahman Wahid's instruction
to arrest Tommy, also the owner of Bank Artha Graha.

"The police force will soon stop the gambling operations which
reportedly have been running on Ayer island, north of Jakarta Bay
and on a cruise ship which sails on a runabout," he told
journalists at his office.

In a talk show "Mimbar Bebas Bersama Gus Dur" broadcast by
private television station SCTV on Monday night, President
Abdurrahman said that he had instructed the police to seize a
cruise ship belonging to a young businessman, which serves as a
gambling den, and to arrest its owner.

During the talk show, noted lawyer Hotma Sitompoel chided Gus
Dur for violating the principle of presumption of innocence. "He
has yet to be proven guilty by the court," he said.

Tommy's lawyer, Amir Syamsudin, told The Jakarta Post on
Tuesday that the cruise ship and Ayer island are not his client's
properties. "They are not his and he definitely doesn't do such
practices as charged to him.

"He is ready to face questioning in connection with the
accusations," Amir said of his 42-year client.

Amir dismissed reports that Tommy has fled the country, saying
his client was still in the capital as of Tuesday afternoon.

Marzuki said that both his office and the police had
identified the big boss of the gambling operations, and that they
were now arranging further action.

"The superior is not Tommy Winata. Somebody else is behind
this gambling syndicate," he said, without elaborating.

He added that now the National Police and the Navy are hunting
for the cruise ship. (01)