Soeharto fit for trial: Marzuki

Soeharto fit for trial: Marzuki

JAKARTA (JP): Former president Soeharto is fit to face trial
over charges of corruption, Attorney General Marzuki Darusman
said on Monday.

"A comprehensive medical examination on Pak Harto one month
ago has again proved that he is fit to undergo questioning,"
Marzuki told reporters after meeting President Abdurrahman Wahid
at Bina Graha presidential office.

"So this should serve as further support for past medical
examinations (on Soeharto). The Attorney General's Office has
questioned Soeharto for months without obstacles in respect to
his health," he added.

Soeharto's lawyers have repeatedly claimed that their client
is too ill to face trial because he cannot remember past events
and is suffering from brain damage.

Marzuki announced last week that prosecutors were ready to
file charges against the former ruler for allegedly misusing some
Rp 1.4 trillion and US$416 million of state funds donated to his
seven tax-free charitable foundations.

Soeharto's lawyers accused the government, however, of timing
the announcement to deflect attention from Abdurrahman's
appearance before the People's Consultative Assembly next week,
where he is expected to face a tough time as he accounts for his
stormy 10 months in power.

Marzuki said on Monday that the date of the trial would be
decided by the court. He had said previously that the trial would
begin before Aug. 10.

Prosecutors said last week they would file the charges with
the South Jakarta District Court.

Later in the day, spokesman for the Attorney General's Office
Yushar Yahya said that a thorough study of the 3,500 page
dossier, which is now in the hands of the Jakarta prosecutor's
office, had already been completed.

He said the next step would be to hand over the suspect and
evidence to the prosecutor's office.

One of the investigators, Suriansjah, told reporters on Monday
that the handover would be carried out later this week.

Marzuki's decision not to prosecute Soeharto as a former
president but rather as the chairman of the foundations has been
greeted with skepticism, with observers saying that the
indictment is not tough enough.

But Marzuki said he had concentrated on the foundations
because he wanted a watertight case against Soeharto, who stepped
down as president in 1998 amid mass protests.

Abdurrahman has repeatedly said he would pardon Soeharto if he
was found guilty. But the President has insisted a trial must go
ahead.

Despite allegations that Soeharto is sitting on a fortune
worth billions of dollars, stashed overseas, the government has
not yet been able to find any evidence to prove the offshore
accounts exist.

Protesting students have demanded Soeharto be charged with
power abuse and human rights violations rampant during his 32
years of rule.(bby/byg/prb)