LBH criticizes lackluster prosecutors

LBH criticizes lackluster prosecutors

MEDAN, North Sumatra: The chairman of the Medan Legal Aid
Institute (LBH Medan), Irham Buana Nasution, expressed
disappointment on Monday over the lackluster performance of the
North Sumatra High Prosecutor's Office in dealing with corruption
cases in the province.

Irham said that since 1999, LBH Medan had submitted 25
corruption cases to the prosecutor's office, but none had been
followed up.

"The public is waiting for suspected corruptors to be brought
to court," Irham told The Jakarta Post on Monday.

The corruption cases reported by LBH Medan included those
allegedly involving the Soeharto family, bad loans at the North
Sumatra Bank, alleged money politics by Medan Mayor Abdillah
and the illegal sale of state assets.

The head of the North Sumatra High Prosecutor's Office,
Harahap, admitted his office was slow in handling corruption
cases in the province, but blamed this on inexperienced
prosecutors who, according to him, were ill-equipped to handle
big cases.

To address the problem, the office is organizing a training
program for about 100 young prosecutors from the province's 19
state prosecutor's offices. -- JP