AG defends prosecution record

The Attorney General office has defended itself against charges of failing to prosecute cases, leading to their dismissal from the courts.

The Director of Public Prosecutions Mr Keriako Tobiko Wednesday said that his role was to prosecute only murder cases.

He said the police prosecute majority of the cases.

Mr Tobiko blamed the judiciary, police and investigators of engaging in a blame game.

He was addressing journalists on the sidelines of a workshop to sensitise various government agencies on the Witness Protection Act in Nairobi.

“For one to be jailed in any case, investigators, prosecutors and judges must play their roles.

“Instead of pointing fingers, the way to go is to realise that we should be working together,” he said.

The AG’s office has been blamed for failing to prosecute cases, especially those related to corruption. 

The Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission has on several occasions, while defending its record, pointed a finger at the AG’s office saying it has files from the anti-graft agency ready for prosecution.

Mr Tobiko disclosed that his office had taken to court nine murder cases related to the post-election violence and two have been concluded, one an acquittal and the other leading to a conviction.

He said some witnesses on the post election crimes are now under government protection under the Act, but declined to divulge details citing confidentiality as required by the law.

However, the DPP complained that the funds allocated by the government for witness protection are not enough, forcing them to seek additional sources of funding.

“We are not relying on the government only. The Sh35 million that the government allocated in the last and current financial year is hardly enough,” he said.