Kenya launches witness protection body

Written By:Wangari Kanyongo ,    Posted: Fri, Aug 12, 2011

The new body was launched by Attorney general Amos Wako. The Kenya witness protection agency was officially launched Friday amid financial constraints challenging the body. The agency comes at a crucial time just when the country is in the process of streamlining the judicial system. The agency, has the task of protecting witnesses who will give evidence on crimes such as war violations, piracy, drug trafficking and paedophilia among others. The protection includes the option of moving a witness abroad. The Witness Protection Act, which establishes the agency, says in part: "The object and purpose of the agency is to provide the framework and procedures for giving special protection, on behalf of the State, to persons in possession of important information and who are facing potential risk or intimidation due to their cooperation with prosecution and other law enforcement agencies.'' The agency will be guided by a six member advisory board and supported by the United Nations office on drugs and crime. The Agency has been allocated 300 million shillings out of the 1.2 billion it had requested for and is already facing financial constrains to set up its operations and recruit professional staff to run the highly sensitive protection programme. With only two weeks to exiting office, Attorney General Amos Wako was a happy man as he launched the newest addition to his achievements. Terming the witness protection programme an expensive exercise, Wako appealed to the donor agencies to provide financial assistance for the agency. He said witnesses had previously shied from testifying in high Justice Minister Mutula Kilonzo challenge Kenyans to push for the creation of a world class witness protection agency for the fruits of judicial reforms to be realized. The director of public prosecutions Keriako Tobiko said the creation of the agency will strengthen the country's criminal justice system. Lack of a functional witness protection body in the country has been a hindrance to many successful cases with witnesses falling prey to threats and bribes denying many the justice they seek. The country has often come under attack for failing to protect witnesses with the latest lash coming from the ICC which has raised alarm of witnesses being threatened on several occasions.