The Indonesian Gvoernment may be pursuing in vaini,a civil case against ex-president Mr.Suharto demanding a compensation of U.S.$1.4 billion in damages and return of stolen assets allegedly siphoned-off from a charitable foundation he had chaired when he was in power. This case was filed by the Indonesain authorities subsequent to the abandonoing of a criminal corruption case against him in 2006 on the ground of his ill-health.
The family of aling Mr.Suharto seems to have conveyed this to the Attorney-general Mr.Hendarman Sapaji who had met them on last Saturday on the orders of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and offered to settle the case on the above terms. According to the family’s lawyer, Mr.O.Corneilus Kaligis, ‘there is nothing the family will pay to secure a settlement. if we are asked to negitiate but the demand comes accompanied with a demand to pay some compensation, we will refuse it. If the government wants to settle the case, it can simply revoke the Presidential Order to the Attorney-general and everything will end there’
The former President had stepped down a decade ago after 32 years of dictatorship and during his rule he was accursed of embezzling over U.S.$35 billion by the graft watchdog, Transparancy International in 2004.
Mr.Suharto who has been ailing for quite some time is currently bedridden with a muliple organ failure and is battling for his life.
Leave Your Comments