Topic “prosecutor”
1. Answer the following questions:
1) What functions of a prosecutor in Ukraine do you know?
2) What is the main function of a prosecutor in court?
3) Who is an opponent of a prosecutor during a court hearing?
Read the text and fulfill the post-reading tasks.
Prosecutor
The principles of the Prosecutor’s Office of Ukraine are set forth in the Constitution of Ukraine and the Law of Ukraine on the Prosecutor’s Office. These are the principles of independence, openness, legality and centralization of the prosecution system. The Prosecutor’s Office is a unified system of bodies having common tasks and functions, subordinate to the Prosecutor General of Ukraine.
The Prosecutor’s Office of Ukraine is entrusted with:
1) prosecution in court on behalf of the State;
2) representation of the interests of a citizen or the State in court in cases determined by law;
3) supervision over the observance of legality by bodies that conduct operative-investigative activities, inquiry, and pre-trial investigation;
4) supervision over the observance of legality in the course of execution of court decisions in criminal cases and application of other measures of coercion in relation to the restraint of personal freedom of citizens;
One of the major functions of the Prosecutor’s Office is to uphold public prosecution in court – to prove the person’s guilt before judicial bodies. The law states that nobody is guilty if his/her guilt is not proved in court.
The basis of the prosecution is the preliminary investigation. After the pre-trial investigation of the case the prosecutor approves the indictment and transfers it to court.
At the beginning of the court hearing the prosecutor makes the opening statement which contains the charges brought against the defendant.
During the trial the public prosecutor takes part in the interrogation of the accused, victim and witnesses; presents and examines experts’ reports and legally obtained evidence with the purpose of proving the accused person’s guilt.
At the time of the pleadings the prosecutor pronounces his/her speech for the prosecution. In this speech he/she upholds state prosecution, analyzes the evidence, and expresses his/her opinion as for the qualification of the crime, sentence and other matters important for imposing a fair and reasonable punishment. The prosecutor him/herself doesn’t give any judgment; the judicial decision is the task of a judge.
In some cases the withdrawal of the accusation (or part of it) is not only the right but also the duty of the prosecutor. It happens if at the end of the judicial sitting the prosecutor comes to the conclusion that the results of the trial don’t prove the guilt of the accused person.
The prosecutor’s activity must guarantee that legal interests of the state, rights and freedoms of its citizens are ensured.
Vocabulary
to be set forth – бути зазначеним, встановленим
subordinate – підпорядкований
to entrust with – доручати
supervision of the observance of legality – нагляд за дотриманням законності
a pre-trial ( or preliminary) investigation – попереднє слідство
measures of coercion – примусові заходи
restraint of personal freedom – обмеження особистої свободи
to uphold public prosecution – підтримувати державне обвинувачення
to prove smb’s guilt – довести чиюсь провину
guilty – винний
an indictment /ɪnˈdaɪtmənt/ – обвинувальний висновок
an opening statement – вступна промова
charges brought against smb – висунуті проти когось обвинувачення
a defendant, an accused (person) – особа, що обвинувачується
an interrogation – допит
a victim – постраждала особа, потерпілий
a witness – свідок
an examination – розгляд, вивчення
an expert’s report – висновок експерта
legally obtained evidence – законно отримані докази
pleadings – судові дебати
a speech for the prosecution – промова з боку обвинувачення
a sentence – вирок
to impose punishment – призначати покарання
a judicial decision, judgment – судове рішення
a withdrawal of accusation – відмова від обвинувачення
to ensure – захищати
COMPREHENSION