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)