Prosecutors say threatened by ‘criminals’

The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Keriako Tobiko, says prosecutors across East Africa are living in fear of their lives.

Speaking during their 2016 Annual Conference in Naivasha, the prosecutors claimed they are threatened and their lives put at risk over the cases they handle.

“We are forced to share public service vehicles and estates with druglords and kingpins, who in the end threaten our lives and that of our families,” said Tobiko.

According to Tobiko, the suspects and assailants threaten their lives over the cases they handle.

“One of our members was gunned down last year in March, over a case he was handling, and even though the perpetrators were brought to book, we still are not safe,” said Tobiko.

According to the prosecutors, they lack proper security personnel to prevent them from such crimes.

“We have for a long time not been given remuneration services on matters concerning security,” said Tobiko.

The justice perpetrators, under their umbrella body, the East African Association of Prosecutors (EAAP), now want the governments of the East African member states (Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda and Southern Sudan) to address the issue.

“It is about time our mother governments look into these issues if at all justice should continue to prevail,” remarked Tobiko.

Written by Atieno Mboya