ODPP, GIZ Join Forces to Capacitate Prosecutors on Anti-Money Laundering
NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 27- The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), in partnership with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) concluded second phase of specialized Training of Trainers (ToT) program for prosecutors on anti-money laundering (AML).
The week-long training aimed to strengthen the capacity of prosecutors in identifying, supporting prosecution-guided investigations and prosecuting complex money laundering and proceeds-generating crimes.
The training covered critical topics including typologies and stages of money laundering, risk-based prosecution strategies, record-keeping and data management, prioritization of money laundering prosecutions and the law of evidence in AML cases with Participants receiving insights from the Financial Reporting Centre on prosecuting complex financial crimes.
Hassan Abdi, Acting Deputy Director of the Inspection and Quality Assurance Department (IQA) while speaking during the training urged the prosecutors to take the training seriously noting its importance in improving the handling of money laundering cases.
“This program will greatly impact how we deal with money laundering prosecutions in the country It will enhance the quality and consistency of decisions to charge and strengthen accountability in our prosecutorial processes,” said Mr. Abdi.
Additionally, he noted that the ODPP is in the process of developing a mechanism to effectively implement the Decision to Charge Guidelines to ensure uniformity and adherence to best practices in prosecutorial decision-making.
Irene Boke, an advisor on Illicit Financial Flows at GIZ, took participants through the various stages and typologies of money laundering, emphasizing the need for prosecutors to adopt a critical and analytical approach.
“You need to always employ a third eye to see beyond what is presented by investigators Money laundering cases require deeper scrutiny and an understanding of the financial trails that underpin criminal activities,” she stated.
Acting Deputy Director of the Economic, Organized and International Crimes Department, Mr. Joseph Riungu on his part underscored the importance of thorough file analysis before making charging decisions.
“Always scan through the criminal files carefully to ascertain whether the evidential threshold has been met before approving charges this ensures that only strong and prosecutable cases proceed to court,” he stated.
The Head of the Anti-Money Laundering and Asset Forfeiture Division at ODPP, Alex Akula, expressed gratitude to GIZ for their unwavering support in building the capacity of prosecutors.
“We appreciate GIZ for their continuous partnership in enhancing the skills of our prosecutors this training marks a significant step towards combating money laundering and organized crime more effectively,” he said.
Akula further urged the 37 prosecutors who successfully completed the Training of Trainers session to cascade the knowledge gained to their colleagues across the country.
“You are now our ambassadors of change. Go forth and impart this knowledge to your peers as we collectively work to address emerging trends in organized crime, both in Kenya and beyond”.
