Soeharto due for second summons

Soeharto due for second summons

JAKARTA (JP): The Attorney General's Office on Monday issued a
second summons for Soeharto after the former president was
declared fit to face questioning by an independent medical team.

Soeharto is now due to be questioned at the Attorney General's
office over alleged corruption during his 32 years in power on
Thursday.

"We sent the summons to the suspect's residence this morning.
We expect him to show up within three days," Director of
Corruption Affairs Chaerul Umam told journalists at his office on
Monday morning.

Chaerul said he will lead a panel of three judges, including
prosecutors Suryansyah and Ferry Silalahi, in questioning
Soeharto.

Attorney General's Office spokesman Soehandoyo said that after
the ex-president's confirmation of good health last week Soeharto
could not ignore the summons.

"If the suspect fails to answer this second summons it should
be for a legitimate reason. Ill-health is no longer a sufficient
excuse," he said.

Soehandoyo remarked that the questioning could be held in
written form instead of orally if Soeharto has a difficult time
speaking.

Soeharto failed to fulfill a summons to the Attorney General's
Office in February after Attorney General Marzuki Darusman
decided to reopen the case in December.

His lawyers insisted that he was medically unfit to undergo
questioning and has trouble completing his sentences.

The Attorney General's Office then appointed an independent
medical team who last week decided that Soeharto could be
questioned.

Soeharto's lawyer, Muhammad Assegaf, told The Jakarta Post
that they have received the summons but have yet to discuss it
with their client's family.

"We still haven't found proper time to go over it. The
(Soeharto) family is preoccupied with wedding preparations for
the daughter of Mbak Tutut," Assegaf added, referring to
Soeharto's first daughter, Siti Hadijanti.

Assegaf also stated that the conclusion of the independent
medical team should have been announced by the doctors themselves
in order to avoid any misinterpretation of uncommon medical
terms.

It was Attorney General Marzuki Darusman who proclaimed that
Soeharto was fit for questioning after receiving the medical
report. (01)