Why DPP Haji is meeting foreign envoys in Kenya

Director of Public Prosecution Noordin Haji is on a mission asking foreign countries to stop Kenyans charged with corruption from traveling there.

Haji has been holding consultative meetings with ambassadors of various western countries to discuss areas of cooperation and collaboration.

Officials aware of the meetings said the DPP has been asking the envoys to help Kenya get back money believed to have been stolen here and stashed in their countries.

He also asked the officials to work out ways of restricting those targeted for corruption cases from traveling abroad.

“DPP to share a list of persons charged with corruption with a view to restricting them from traveling to those countries,” Haji said after a meeting with some of the envoys.

The ODPP’s office has apparently compiled a list of the suspected thieves ready for sharing with the foreign countries.

He met 11 envoys last Tuesday in Nairobi before he left for Italy for official duty.

“They will not be comfortable until they bring back what they stole. Thieves: if you thought you will spend the money in foreign jurisdiction,” said another official aware of the plans.

The DPP and his team have also been visiting various countries where dirty money is believed to be. He and Kinoti arrived in Dubai on Monday for a similar mission.

Another official said some countries like the UK are cooperating well and had frozen money believed to be stolen in some government officials’ accounts.

The DPP alongside DCI George Kinoti and Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission CEO Twalib Mbarak met Italian ambassador to Kenya Alberto Pieria and talked about fighting graft and related crimes.

“The discussions centered on possible collaboration between Italy, EACC, DCI and ODPP on capacity building, mutual legal assistance and investigation in combating corruption,” said Mbarak.

The teams have been visiting various foreign countries in push for cooperation and collaboration in war on corruption.

The countries include UK and USA, which have apparently pledged to help in the war on graft.

Twalib is scheduled to meet UK’s High Commissioner to Kenya Nic Hailey on Wednesday and US envoy to Kenya Kyle McCaster on Friday, officials said.

This is part of planned meetings to ask for cooperation from the countries where suspected stolen money stashed.

“The noose is tightening and some fellows and their surrogates are not comfortable at all. If they help in our plans, we will get more money back here.”

It is not the first time these countries have threatened to ban the suspects from visiting the places. But the latest move by the DPP seems to be a step forward in the efforts to actualize the same.