Indonesia Prosecutors Apply To Seize Suharto Assets

Associated Press - April 24, 2000

JAKARTA (AP)--State prosecutors said Monday they are awaiting a court order to begin freezing assets belonging to former President Suharto.

"We are still waiting for permit from concerned district court," said Yushar Yahya, a spokesman for the attorney general's office.

The former dictator is a key suspect in a massive corruption scandal that involves misappropriation of millions of dollars from charitable foundations he controlled during his 32-year rule.

The attorney general's office, which is investigating the case, has barred Suharto from leaving Jakarta following repeated failures to interrogate the ailing 79-year-old former strongman due to health reasons.

"We cannot yet reveal what kinds of assets will be frozen, but clearly they are related with the accusation, the charitable foundations," Yahya said.

He refused to say when or at which of Jakarta's six district courts the application had been filed.

Investigators have already questioned two of Suharto's six children in connection with the case, as well as some former senior officials during the dictatorship.

Many Indonesians doubt that Suharto, who has seemed in good health during recent public appearances, is too ill to be questioned. There have been several violent demonstrations by students demanding that he be immediately brought before the courts.

President Abdurrahman Wahid has promised to pardon Suharto, who has denied any wrongdoing, if he returns any ill-gotten gains.

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