Judge, prosecutor investigated

DILI, East Timor: The district court and the public prosecutor's office are investigating a judge and a prosecutor suspected of taking bribes from two men on trial for corruption charges.

"A team of investigators are collecting evidence and the two law enforcers will be brought to court once we have enough evidence to charge them," the head of the district court, Antonius Lotto Runggu, said here yesterday.

He said the two suspects, identified as Judge Yosef Hendrik Thenu and prosecutor B. Sudiro Husodo, will not be arrested until sufficient evidence of their crime is obtained.

He added that the two law officials were handling several cases, including the corruption cases.

They were investigated following a claim made by Hendro Susetyo and Junaedi, the two defendants in the corruption case handled by the suspects, that they had been asked to pay Rp 10 million (US$4,500) and Rp 14 million respectively if they wanted to be acquitted. (yac/rms)