Suharto Named in Fraud Probe
The attorney general’s office on Thursday declared former President Suharto a suspect in a probe into corruption at charities he controlled, but his lawyers said he is too ill to face questioning.
The move is a technical one that represents a stepping up of the investigation involving the ex-leader.
Suharto lawyer Muhamad Assegaf said the former president will not appear for Monday’s questioning. “Doctors have agreed that medically he is not fit enough to attend,” Assegaf said.
It is the first time that the increasingly frail Suharto has formally been declared a suspect in allegations of graft. He was forced from power in May 1998.
Even after he quit, he was seen as one of Indonesia’s most powerful figures, but after several bouts of ill health last year, including a stroke, his influence has declined.
Suharto, 78, and his family are accused of building a multibillion-dollar fortune during his 32-year rule. They have denied wrongdoing.
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