The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Renson Ingonga, has urged prosecutors across Africa to strengthen regional collaboration and embrace innovation in tackling emerging crimes that increasingly transcend borders.
Speaking at the 3rd Annual Prosecutions Conference in Lusaka, Zambia, held under the theme, Ingonga noted that modern prosecution requires both legal expertise and technological skills to effectively respond to evolving criminal networks.
He stated that prosecutors are not only tasked with enforcing the law but also with safeguarding public trust, often while working with limited resources.
“As the global environment is evolving, so must our approach to prosecution. The challenges we face do not just require legal expertise but also strategic foresight,” he said.
Ingonga who is also the President of both the Africa Prosecutors Association and the Eastern Africa Association of Prosecutors, pointed to ongoing training efforts on transnational crimes such as terrorism, cybercrime, drug trafficking, human trafficking, money laundering, and other organised criminal activities.
He emphasised that only through regional mechanisms can African states dismantle complex cross-border criminal networks.
He revealed that the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Human Trafficking Institute to enhance specialised training.
The office has also established an Innovative Prosecution Performance Framework Council to develop new approaches to emerging crime, while increasing the use of forensic accounting, electronic data analysis, and prosecution-guided investigations.
The measures, he said, have contributed to the successful prosecution of high-profile corruption and financial crime cases.
Ingonga added that the ODPP has restructured its Anti-Money Laundering and Asset Forfeiture Division, equipping it to deal with crimes linked to cryptocurrency.
He also raised concerns over child protection, describing online child sexual exploitation as an urgent crisis of the digital age.
He explained that Kenya has established child-friendly interview rooms in regional offices and is increasingly using digital forensic evidence and pre-recorded testimonies in prosecuting cases involving child pornography, trafficking, and online abuse.
The DPP underscored the need to ensure wellbeing of prosecutors, noting the demanding nature of their work.
He noted the ODPP has embedded clinical officers within its structure and introduced wellness programmes under its Strategic Plan 2023–2027 to help reduce burnout and improved resilience among staff.
“As prosecutors, we must foster a culture where mental wellness is treated with the same seriousness and case preparation. Mental wellness is not a weakness but a strategy,” he stated.
