A provincial prosecutor is under an inspection on suspicion of verbally abusing a police officer under his supervision, the top prosecution office said Monday.

The prosecutor of the local prosecution office in Uijeongbu, just north of Seoul, allegedly verbally insulted a police officer who had come to seek permission to file for an arrest warrant of a suspect on March 26. The prosecutor is also under suspicion of ripping off an official police document.

The prosecution and police were investigating a case of a businessman who had claimed a compensation over 100 billion won ($960 million) by falsely stating that his fishery was damaged by construction work on a river dam in Gyeonggi Province.

“We have launched an inspection after receiving relevant data from the Uijeongbu prosecution office,” the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office said in a statement, adding that it will also look into any other possible mishandling in supervision.

By law, police can initiate preliminary investigations on their own but should be under the supervision of prosecutors. Also, police should apply for an arrest warrant of a suspect with the prosecution, which has the sole right to indictment.

The SPO said it will decide whether to take a disciplinary action against the prosecutor after wrapping up the inspection. (Yonhap)