Prosecutors seize documents from Soeharto foundation

Prosecutors seize documents from Soeharto foundation

JAKARTA (JP): The Attorney General's Office began on Thursday
the unprecedented seizure of documents believed to contain
information on assets allegedly illegally amassed by former
president Soeharto.

Five state prosecutors confiscated documents concerning the
activities of the Supersemar Foundation, one of seven tax-free
charitable foundations set up by Soeharto during his 32-year
rule. All the foundations retained offices at the Granadi
building, which they own, in South Jakarta's main business
district.

The team was led by the newly installed director of
investigation at the office, Ris Pandapotan Sihombing, and
comprised Poerwanto, Patuan Siahaan, Ferry Silalahi and
Suriansyah.

Spokesman for the Attorney General's Office Yushar Yahya said
the documents would be used to verify testimony from witnesses
concerning graft and abuse of power allegedly committed by
Soeharto.

"We started with the Supersemar documents because our
investigation into it is nearly complete. The seizure of articles
of other foundations will follow," he told a media briefing at
his office.

Soeharto has been named a suspect for issuing decrees and
government regulations to amass funds through the foundations.

The seizure was conducted following approval issued on Tuesday
by the South Jakarta District Court.

Ris told journalists waiting outside the foundation's office
on the building's fourth floor that his team confiscated "a lot
of documents" needed as evidence.

He added the foundation would remain operational despite the
seizure.

Lawyers for three of Soeharto's foundations -- Supersemar,
Dharmais and Dana Karya Abadi -- contended the measure violated
the law.

However, they let the prosecutors proceed. "Since this is
conducted in the interest of the state, then go ahead," one of
the lawyers, Syamsul Hadi, said.

Separately, Antonius Sujata, a former state prosecutor who
investigated Soeharto's alleged graft in 1998, speculated that
the Attorney General's Office was relatively slow in seizing the
foundations' assets because it was weighing possible legal
consequences.

"It's likely they are just being prudent," Antonius, who now
chairs the National Ombudsman Council, said at his office on
Thursday. (01)