"It is clear that the image of Angolan justice has improved in the country and abroad, partly as a result of the good results that have been achieved by the PGR. But we do not lose sight of the fact that we still have many challenges ahead", said the official, in interview with Angop.
Pitta Gróz also gave a positive assessment of his first term. "This is not about immodesty, but the results achieved suggest so", he stated, adding: "One of the goals defined at the beginning of the mandate was the considerable increase in the number of prosecutors and employees, which constituted and, unfortunately, still constitutes, one of the main functional difficulties of the institution. Meanwhile, we went from around 400 prosecutors, at the end of 2017, to the current 634, and from around 1500 employees in 2000, which means a growth of more than 50 percent in terms of resources humans".
Among other aspects, the Attorney General of the Republic also said that they had improved "the PGR's institutional and international cooperation mechanisms", working "towards the creation of decent conditions for the functioning of the PGR Directorate, which culminated in the inauguration of the its headquarters after 44 years of existence".
Regarding difficulties, Pitta Gróz mentioned the lack of resources. "The greatest difficulty that the PGR has faced is the scarcity of resources. We lack financial resources, either to improve the working and social conditions of judges and PGR employees, or to increase the investigative capacity to combat, more effectively, crime, especially economic-financial, organized crime and cybercrime. Furthermore, human resources still do not fully satisfy the labor demand, since we have not reached the ideal of magistrates per inhabitants", he stated, in statements to Angop.
The Attorney General of the Republic, among other matters, also spoke about the cases involving the former Vice-President of the Republic, Manuel Vicente, and businesswoman Isabel dos Santos.
"What can be made public at this moment is that, with the period of immunity of the former Vice-President of the Republic, Manuel Domingos Vicente, having ended, there are criminal proceedings against the target, who is undergoing preparatory investigation. As for the proceedings initiated against the Isabel dos Santos, are in the preparatory instruction phase, which is already very advanced, and we will soon have news", he stated.
Pitta Gróz also spoke about the case where the former president of the Court of Auditors, Exalgina Gamboa, is targeted. "As for the former president of the Court of Auditors, the case brought against her continues its progress and is in the preparatory investigation phase with the competent body of the PGR, the National Directorate of Investigation and Criminal Action", he pointed out.
"Regarding the current presiding judge of the Supreme Court, it is important to clarify that Joel Leonardo has not yet been named a defendant in any case initiated at the DNIAP. Although there were searches at the premises of the Superior Council of the Judiciary of the Public Prosecutor's Office, they occurred within the scope investigation of a case in which the accused was linked to that body. The said case is already in the trial phase", he added, in an interview with Angop.
Asset recovery was also the subject of conversation. In this area, among other aspects, Pitta Gróz said that "requests for the restitution of assets abroad relating to the AAA process are currently underway", adding that "the recovery of more than two billion dollars in cash, which is found in several countries".
