Jakarta – Indonesian prosecutors yesterday indicted the half-brother of former president Suharto for embezzling state reforestation funds.

They charged Probosutejo, 72, with misusing 100.93 billion rupiah worth of funds designated by the Forestry Ministry for two of his companies in 1993, chief prosecutor I Ketut Murtika said.

As director of PT Menara Hutan Buana and PT Wonogung Jinawi, Probosutejo had 'enriched himself and others' by not fulfilling the deals made by his companies with the ministry, Mr Ketut told the Central Jakarta District Court.

In their written indictments, prosecutors said Probosutejo's companies had agreed to prepare 250,000 ha of land to be used for logging and for building a pulp company in South Kalimantan.

They said the nine-year-long project was never fully completed and Probosutejo had not returned 38.81 billion rupiah in excess funds to the state. He had also sold the shares of PT Wonogung Jinawi to two firms last February after buying 40.47 billion rupiah worth of shares owned by a state forestry company, they said.

Probosutejo said he understood the charges and asked to present his defence next week. He faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.