Section 2: Powers of the public prosecutor at the court of appeal

The Public Prosecutor represents the Public Prosecutor’s Office in person or through his deputies at the Court of Appeal and at the Assize Court established at the seat of the Court of Appeal. He may, under the same conditions, represent the public prosecutor’s office before the other assize courts within the jurisdiction of the court of appeal.

The public prosecutor ensures that criminal law is applied throughout the jurisdiction of the court of appeal and that the public prosecutor’s offices within its jurisdiction operate smoothly. He leads and coordinates the action of the public prosecutors, both in terms of preventing and punishing breaches of criminal law. He specifies and, where necessary, adapts the general instructions of the Minister of Justice to the specific context of the jurisdiction….

The Public Prosecutor may direct the public prosecutors, by written instructions placed in the case file, to institute proceedings or have proceedings instituted, or to refer to the competent court such written submissions as the Public Prosecutor considers appropriate.

The public prosecutor has authority over all public prosecution officers within the jurisdiction of the court of appeal.

Judicial police officers and agents are placed under the supervision of the public prosecutor. He may instruct them to gather any information he deems useful for the proper administration of justice.