Nairobi — Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Renson Ingonga on Thursday held a consultative meeting with the Italian Ambassador to Kenya, Vincenzo Del Monaco, aimed at strengthening bilateral and interagency cooperation in the criminal justice sector.
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) said the meeting focused on enhancing collaboration between Kenya and Italy through stronger institutional linkages, exchanges on prosecutorial mandates, and the exploration of practical avenues for cooperation in addressing emerging and transnational crimes.
A key area of discussion was cooperation in Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA) in criminal matters, with both sides identifying opportunities to reinforce existing mechanisms to support cross-border investigations and prosecutions as criminal networks increasingly operate beyond national boundaries.
The engagement also underscored the importance of deepening institutional partnerships to enhance information sharing and coordinated action between the two countries.
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Mutual assistance
Speaking during the meeting, Ingonga stressed the critical role of international cooperation in combating complex and transnational crimes.
"Criminal networks increasingly operate across borders, making international cooperation essential for effective investigations and prosecutions. Strengthening mutual legal assistance frameworks and institutional partnerships will significantly enhance our capacity to tackle transnational crimes," he said.
Ingonga further noted that collaboration in training and knowledge exchange would be vital in equipping prosecutors with the skills required to respond to evolving criminal threats.
"Capacity building and joint training initiatives are essential to ensure prosecutors are well prepared to deal with emerging challenges such as cybercrime, terrorism financing, trafficking in persons and corruption-related offences," he added.
Ambassador Del Monaco reaffirmed Italy's commitment to strengthening cooperation with Kenya in justice sector reforms and prosecutorial collaboration, citing the long-standing partnership between the two countries.
"Italy values its strong partnership with Kenya and remains committed to supporting collaborative efforts that enhance justice systems and promote the rule of law. Cooperation in areas such as organised crime, human trafficking and financial crimes benefits both our countries and the wider region," Del Monaco said.
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He added that closer institutional engagement would lead to more effective and coordinated responses to transnational criminal activities.
The discussions also explored joint efforts to support national and regional capacity-building initiatives for prosecutors in tackling illicit drug trafficking, trafficking in persons, wildlife and environmental crimes, money laundering, terrorism-related offences, cybercrime and corruption.
