Soeharto's team of lawyers challenges the law

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Lawyers of former president Soeharto challenged on Tuesday the validity of document copies provided by prosecutors in the Supersemar Foundation civil lawsuit trial held at the South Jakarta District Court.

""How can we be sure about the validity of the copies of documents they provide,"" Soeharto lawyer Juan Felix Tampubolon told reporters outside court.

""They should show us the original ones or this only means the prosecutors are not collecting proof seriously.""

He said the prosecution's documents could presented as legal documents for the purpose of the trial.

Article 186 of the Criminal Code Procedures says an authenticated document can be presented -- or one that has a relationship with the subject of the court.

The law does not specify the need for originality.

The prosecution was led by Dachamer Munthe and presented 11 copies of documents to judges during the Tuesday hearing, which was focused on hearing defense statements.

Dachamer said he disagreed with Tampubolon's statement, saying all document copies had legal standing because they were supported by witness testimonies and authenticated by the Supersemar Foundation.

""We will start presenting our witnesses next week who (will) verify the existence of the original documents,"" Dachamer said.

He said the prosecution would present other documents to the court.

Earlier this year the then-secretary to the Junior Attorney General for Special Crimes Kemas Yahya Rahman said the Attorney General's Office (AGO) had returned confiscated documents from several Soeharto-related foundations.

He said this was due to a lack of space as well as maintenance reasons.

The prosecution said it then received warranties from each of the foundations' board of executives stating the documents could be presented in court at any time.

Kemas said according to Article 417 of the Criminal Code, the board members could each face a five-year term in jail if they lost the documents.

Presiding judge Wahyono had adjourned the hearing of the case to November 13. (dic)