UN set up special court for pirates in Mombasa

VIENNA (AFP) – Kenya has set up a new court for piracy cases in Mombasa, with the help of the United Nations, in a bid to lower the burden on its judicial system, the UN announced Friday.

The courtroom, which was opened on Thursday, "is intended to increase trial efficiency in the system and provide a secure, modern environment suitable for piracy cases," the Vienna-based UN office on drugs and crime (UNODC), which helped set up the tribunal, said in a statement.

The court in Shimo La Tewa, Mombasa, "will hear cases of maritime piracy and other serious criminal offences," it added.

The UN office has been working with Kenyan police, prosecutors, courts and prisons to bring pirates to justice.

So far, Kenya has received 123 alleged pirates for prosecution, the largest number in the region, the UNODC said.

"There has been a lot of focus on chasing pirates off the Horn of Africa, but less attention to what happens after they are caught," it said.

"This has posed a challenge to the Kenyan justice system in terms of collecting evidence, prosecuting cases and holding Somali pirates in detention," it added.

The courtroom was built with contributions from donor states including the European Union, France, Germany, the United States, Australia and Canada, as part of the UNODC's counter-piracy programme.

"Kenya has taken on a heavy burden in dealing with a crime that affects the entire international community," the UNODC's John Sandage said in a statement, describing the court as a sign of recognition for Mombasa's efforts.