Luanda - Attorney General Hélder Pitta Gróz has denied a report that he has received any direct orders from the President of Republic of Angola to take action, adding that the institution enjoys autonomy in relation to the other powers of the State.
"In the exercise of the criminal prosecution, the Attorney General's Office (PGR) does not follow any instructions. It is guided by the criteria of strict legality and objectivity", Gróz said in an interview granted to the State-run Jornal de Angola on Tuesday.
He clarified that the institution's autonomy falls within the scope of the representation of the State, namely in civil proceedings, and its activity entails contact with its representative, in the person of the President and other entities of the State.
"There is no selectivity criterion in PGR," he said, reacting to the accusation by some political party leaders and members of civil society on alleged selectivity by this institution.
According to Hélder Pitta Gróz, judging by the quality of people brought to trial and targeted in ongoing cases, clearly demonstrates that the social position is not an element of favouring.
However, he said, the investigation and instruction of the processes evolve differently, depending on their complexity and the evidence.
As for the involvement of society in the anti-corruption programme, he said there was an increasing participation, but still far from ideal.
The public prosecutor office reported that since September 2017 the PGR has recovered assets worth about USD 5 billion.
These assets have been voluntarily given back to the state and subsequently certified by a judicial decision, adding that the referred goods are now part of the state's patrimony.
Angola's Attorney General's Office celebrates its 42nd anniversary on April 27.
