EACC faults ODPP for blocking progress in county corruption cases
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption (EACC) has called out the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution (ODPP) for being a stumbling block in the fight against corruption in the counties.
The anti-graft authority while appearing before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) at the Senate submitted that 20 files were withdrawn by the Director of Public prosecution (DPP) between 2023 and 2025.
According to the EACC chairperson David Oginde, they should not be granted permission to prosecute civil cases as per the law to avoid the dropping of cases by the DPP.
Oginde boasted that the commission has done an excellent job especially in the recovery of properties that had been lost to graft.
“It would be good for us if we take our cases all the way through to court. Civil cases as has been mentioned by the CEO, the law allows us to take them all the way through and when you look at our success, it is in the area of recoveries,” Oginde stated.
On his part EACC Chief Executive Officer Abdi Mohamud, the proceeding of cases after their investigations has always depended on the goodwill of the DPP.
While expressing the dropping of cases frustration, the CEO added that in some cases when need be, they have always had meeting with the prosecutors and forged a way forward.
“As we give you the product, we wait for feedback. The DPP is the one in charge and when he feels that we need to discuss further we are willing. We have always sat down in some cases and discussed but it depends on the good will of the DPP,” the CEO stated.
Among the 20 cases dropped by the ODPP after it had already recommended charging of the suspects include the inquiry into running the affairs of Isiolo County Public Service Board by the Executive and the County Assembly.
Isiolo County topped in the number of cases withdrawn with the total being four.
Even though ten ought of the 18 witnesses had testified the ODPP made an application to withdraw the case with the withdrawal being formally done in September 2023.
In their report to the Committee, EACC has indicated that they were never consulted when all the withdrawals were being made.
