The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) has continued to train prosecutors on the prioritization of Money-Laundering offences and on Anti-Money-laundering (AML) strategies.

Prosecutors drawn across the country underwent a four-day training in Kisumu, which enhanced their capacity to guide the investigating agencies and effectively prosecute cases related to Money Laundering.

This training is a broader institutional effort by the DPP to enhance prosecutorial capacity and align its prosecution practice with international standards, including the FATF recommendations and action plans.

Speaking during the closing of the training, Mr Alloys Kemo, OGW Secretary Public Prosecutions, noted that prioritization of money laundering offences is critical and requires a deliberate shift towards proactive evidence-led investigations and prosecutions.

Mr Kemo urged prosecutors to take an active role by directing parallel financial investigations with a view to identifying, tracing, seizing, and forfeiting proceeds and instruments of crime.

“As you are aware now, due to the strategic deficiencies in our AML/CFT framework, Kenya was placed on the grey list by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). While this presents challenges, it also offers opportunities for institutional reflection, reform, and renewed commitment,” he added.

He further encouraged prosecutors to take forward the lessons learned, apply them diligently, and champion excellence in the prosecution of money laundering and related cases.

The training was opened by the Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions and Nyanza Regional Coordinator, Mr Daniel Karuri.

Mr Karuri, who spoke during the opening, noted that money-laundering crimes have posed a threat to the nation’s economic, social, and financial integrity and emphasised the role of prosecutors in addressing such crimes.

“The effectiveness of prosecution in these cases relies not only on sound legal knowledge but also on a thorough understanding of the investigative process, evidentiary requirements, and strategic prioritization of cases,” he noted.

Karuri encouraged the prosecutors to apply the knowledge gained to enhance the fight against financial crimes.

“The knowledge and skills you gain here will not only enhance individual capacity but will also contribute to Kenya’s broader anti-money laundering strategies. By directing investigations strategically, prioritizing prosecutions, and recovering proceeds of crime, we can build stronger cases, secure successful prosecutions, and ensure offenders are held fully accountable under the law,” he added.

It was facilitated by seasoned prosecutors Vincent Monda, ‘ndc’ (K), OGW Senior Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions; Annette Wangia Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions, Alex Akula, Assistant Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions, Principal Prosecution Counsel Wesley Nyamache, Faith Mwila, Becky Arunga, George Muhindi, Bramwel Shitsama and Prosecution counsel Abdisalaam Bore.

Areas covered during the training included Stages of Money Laundering and ML Trends and Typologies, Overview of the FATF recommendation, Kenya’s Mutual Evaluation and its implications for prosecutorial practice, Money laundering offences; elements of offences, other offences under POCAMLA, evidentiary threshold, admissibility of primary, secondary and electronic evidence, understanding money laundering risks in Kenya and asset forfeiture as an AML strategy.

Participants also gained insights into the importance of accurate data and record-keeping in supporting anti-money laundering efforts, enabling informed decision-making, the legal framework of money laundering in Kenya, counter trafficking and smuggling of migrants as a predicate of ML cases, and strengthening the overall prosecutorial process.

The training was concluded by trainees being awarded certificates.