Jakarta to take over prosecutor's offices

JAKARTA: The central government will take over the legal authority and duties of prosecutor's offices in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam and in Nias regency, North Sumatra, which were destroyed by the Dec. 26 earthquake and tsunami, an official said.

Attorney General Abdul Rahman Saleh said the decision was made by the government in a recent Cabinet meeting.

"The calamity has destroyed buildings of many prosecutor's offices in Aceh and Nias, including documents, and killed a number of prosecutors and staff members," he said on Friday.

However, Rahman said he has yet to make any decisions regarding the case, including the possibility of moving the damaged Aceh prosecutor's offices to North Sumatra.

Attorney General spokesman RJ Soehandoyo said the office recorded as many as 40 prosecutors and staff members were among those killed in Banda Aceh alone during the catastrophe.

Deaths of prosecutors and employees of attorney offices in other districts in the province were yet to be reported, he said. --JP