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)