Samoa's National Prosecution Office has issued a release to confirm that it has come into existence.
The release says the confirmation is a response to what it called recent speculation.
It says the National Prosecution Office became an official entity on 1 January this year.
It was established with help from the Commonwealth Secretariat because of issues raised by the public about the quality of prosecution services by the police and government ministries.
There was also concern over the apparent conflict between the Attorney General's role as chief prosecutor for the country and his role as the principal legal advisor for the government.
Helped by police officers seconded to it, the National Prosecution Office has taken over prosecutions in the District Court, and criminal functions in the Supreme Court.
It is to be headed by the Director of Public Prosecutions.
