Prosecutors' office 'too slow'

Prosecutors' office 'too slow'

MAKASSAR, South Sulawesi: Anti Corruption Committee (ACC)
members marched to the Provincial Prosecutors' Office on Tuesday
in protest against the office's sluggish handling of corruption
cases.

The group said the current situation was reducing people's
trust in law enforcers.

"We are here to know the progress made by the Provincial
Prosecutors' Office," ACC spokesman Abraham Samad said after
meeting with TH Panggabean, the head of the office.

Abraham said the prosecutors' office had yet to transfer the
dossiers relating to a Rp 5 billion scam involving the farmers
cooperative (KUT) and a Rp 2 billion swindle involving deputy
governor Masnawi to the district court. The prosecutors' office
received the dossiers in July 1999.

"We are also puzzled that Masnawi, who has been named as a
suspect, has yet to be detained," said Abraham.

Panggabean denied that his office had been too slow. "No. The
naming of Masnawi as suspect is evidence. A suspect should not
always be detained," he said. (27/sur)