Key Guidelines On Terrorism And Terrorism Financing Launched In Kenya

NAIROBI, Kenya, Apr 12- The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, in collaboration with criminal justice partners, has released interagency guidelines on the investigation and prosecution of terrorism and terrorism financing in Kenya.

The guidelines are intended to improve Organizational Partnership between investigative agencies and the ODPP, as well as ensure effective coordination, collaboration, and cooperation in the investigation and prosecution of terrorism and terrorism financing.

They bring together over ten (10) law enforcement agencies that are directly or indirectly responsible for investigating terrorism and terrorism financing, as well as taking other counter-terrorism measures.

“I am grateful to my colleagues at the ODPP and Task Force members who worked tirelessly and meticulously to develop these Guidelines. Similarly, I would like to express my personal and institutional gratitude to our international partners, the EU Trust Fund/INTPA “AML-THB Project in the Greater Horn of Africa and Southern Africa and all contributing agencies.

“I anticipate that this spirit of inter-agency cooperation and collaboration will guide us as we disseminate and implement these guidelines,” said DPP Noordin Haji.

All criminal justice system actors, particularly investigators and prosecutors, as well as judicial officers, will now have a guide to help them deal with terrorism-related cases.

Crime, particularly terrorism, is gaining new trends as a result of globalization. This has necessitated urgency within the criminal justice sector in responding to these emerging trends.

A coordinated Multi-Agency/Multi-Stakeholder/Multi-Sectoral approach to investigation and prosecution is required to address the challenges posed by a disjointed approach in addressing serious crimes like terrorism and terrorism financing.

All agencies involved were guided by the spirit of nationhood, public interest, and constitutionalism in developing the legal framework for Coordination, Cooperation Collaboration.

A number of law enforcement agencies, criminal justice actors, and civil society organizations were involved in the development of the guidelines. Among them were the ATPU, JCTAC, KRA, FRC, ARA, CBK, Directorate of Immigration Services, PACS, Prisons, Judiciary, and ODPP. The civil society organizations (CSOs) involved were IJM-Kenya, Haki Africa, and Amnesty International-Kenya.

The guidelines will enhance efficiency for all stakeholders and will strengthen cooperation and collaboration in the investigation and prosecution of Terrorism and Terrorism Financing.