Soeharto questioning cut short
Soeharto questioning cut short
JAKARTA (JP): The initial questioning of former president
Soeharto for alleged corruption during his 32-year rule was cut
short on Monday for medical reasons.
A joint team of doctors advised five visiting prosecutors from
the Attorney General's Office to cease the questioning after 90
minutes due to the rising blood pressure and irregular heartbeat
of Soeharto, 78. He had answered two questions when the session
was halted.
Soeharto was questioned at his home on Jl. Cendana in the
exclusive Menteng residential area of Central Jakarta. The
prosecutors, led by Patua Siahaan, brought with them a video
camera, personal computer and printer.
Spokesman for the joint medical team Supardi Sudibyo, who is
the vice director for medical services at Cipto Mangunkusumo
Hospital (RSCM), said Soeharto appeared exhausted during
questioning.
"Should the procedure have been forced to continue, it would
have been risky given his condition."
He said the medical team complied with general guidelines
concerning care of elderly people with a history of stroke.
Soeharto was hospitalized for a stroke last year and on another
occasion for intestinal bleeding.
"The guidelines were infringed upon when Soeharto's blood
pressure rose to 180/110 and the electronic cardiogram showed
that his heartbeat was erratic," Supardi said.
One of Soeharto's lawyers, Juan Felix Tampubolon, said his
client's increased blood pressure and uneven breathing indicated
his discomfort during the questioning.
The Attorney General's Office had not set a schedule to resume
the questioning as of Tuesday.
"Attorney General Marzuki Darusman himself will announce the
date and the details of the resumption of the investigation,"
spokesman for the Attorney General's Office Soehandoyo told The
Jakarta Post on Tuesday.
Prosecutor Purnama Munthe, who supervised the questioning,
said the Attorney General's Office was awaiting the medical
team's approval to resume the questioning.
"We're not satisfied with the suspect's answers ... the
questioning is to be continued," Purnama said outside Soeharto's
residence.
He said the questioning focused on the use of funds of three
foundations established and controlled by Soeharto, who
apparently understood the substance of the questions.
"Soeharto was able to answer in complete sentences. The
prosecutors fully understood his answers," Purnama said.
Wearing a long-sleeved batik shirt, Soeharto was questioned in
the living room, accompanied by his eldest daughter Siti "Tutut"
Hardijanti Rukmana, four of his lawyers, his private medical team
and the five state-appointed doctors from RSCM.
Purnama said the questioning proceeded slowly, with the first
question divided into seven parts. He said Soeharto answered each
briefly.
Soeharto also could answer the second question clearly, which
his lawyers and the doctors termed more complicated than the
first, Purnama added.
After he answered the second question, the doctors checked
Soeharto's pulse and heartbeat twice. "Before we got into the
third question, the doctors forced us to halt the questioning,"
Purnama said.
The deputy attorney general for special crimes Antasari Azhar
said his team would again summon Soeharto.
"We'll see whether the team would go to the suspect's
residence or ask him to appear at the Attorney General's Office.
It's up to the medical team's advice," he told the Post.
Soeharto has failed on three summonses for questioning since
the investigation into alleged corruption was reopened in
December.
His legal team argued Soeharto was physically and mentally
unfit for questioning, saying he was unable to communicate
properly.
Marzuki said a medical checkup by a team from RSCM last month
showed Soeharto was able to undergo questioning. (01)