AGO recruits regional prosecutors

JAKARTA: The Attorney General's Office (AGO) has recruited prosecutors from the regions to help its special crimes unit investigate major banking cases, such as the alleged lending scam at Bank Mandiri and the misuse of Bank Indonesia Liquidity Support (BLBI) funds.

AGO spokesman R.J. Soehandojo said on Wednesday that Hendarman Supandji, deputy attorney for special crimes, had requested 15 additional prosecutors, but Attorney General Abdul Rahman Saleh approved only seven.

"The seven were chosen from among prosecutors who are experienced enough in investigating banking cases and have clean track records," Soehandojo said.

Hendarman has often said his division was short of investigators to look into graft cases.

Six of the new recruits have started on their first assignment, the BLBI cases. Hendarman has set a December deadline for the completion of the BLBI investigation. -- JP