The Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji has said his office is committed to working with human rights groups including community based social justice centres to defend justice.
Haji was speaking during the official launch of the Kayole Community Justice Center on Wednesday.
The DPP said his office was unwavering in its quest to implement policies and guidelines formulated to enhance justice.
“My office will ensure the Decision to Charge Guidelines, ODPP Case Digest on Police Accountability is implemented,” he said.
The DPP said he was committed to working with Justice Centers and Human Rights Defenders to curb police excesses, gender-based violence, rape, defilement and cases of pollution, which the community reported to be on an increase.
“I assure the Social Justice movement of the support of my office in this noble work. To the Kayole Community Justice Centre, stand tall and bold and let us collectively reform our country,” Haji said.
But to ensure justice, Haji urged the community to embrace the work justice centers are doing, and report cases so that his office can follow up on complaints.
The DPP said he was happy his office has worked to help streamline the justice system by using decision to charge guidelines to sieve out some of the cases that ought not to be taken to court.
The DPP said his office has restructured the way police carry out their work in a bid to to stop police abuses.
“We are no longer prosecuting touting cases as the case used to be in 2018. My office will not be take those cases where police are now arresting and charging members of the public with an offence of idling.”
The DPP said police must have sufficient evidence before charging a suspect.
“Police must show evidence before taking offenders to court,” he said.
He also warned the police against fixing suspects by recycling exhibits.
Present during the ceremony was International Justice Mission-Kenya Country Director Benson Shamala and representatives from Independent Medico-Legal Unit, Haki Africa, Defenders Coalition were present too.
IJM Kenya donated a container which Kayole Community Justice Center uses as an office.
“Our journey together started in 2018. We were so excited to see young ladies and gentlemen who were eager to fight for justice in their society,” Shamala said.
Shamala said IJM-Kenya is passionate about issues of justice and the organization will continue to work with partners within the criminal justice system to ensure people who are poor are protected from violence.
“The issue of justice is not to be left to lawyers and social workers alone but it is for everyone in the society,” Shamala said.
He said, “There is no way mistakes happen year in year out and the commanders pretend not to know.”
Youths present at the launch complained to the DPP that police in Kayole continue to arrest them for flimsy reasons and end up charging them in court for idling.
DPP said police must have sufficient evidence before charging a suspect.
“Police must show evidence before taking offenders to court,” he said.
He added that his office has a dedicated team for handling sexual and gender-based violence issues.
He said together with International Justice Mission-Kenya and Kayole Community Justice Center his office will soon engage the public in Kayole to discuss matters of justice.
Kayole Community Justice Center Coordinator Faith Kasina thanked IJM-K for encouraging them when they lost hope of creating a stable justice centre in Kayole.
“Some of our founding members gave up and left us,” She said.
The Kayole PEFA church minister Reverend Peter Omwanda who donated the space where the centre is located said the church is committed to working with rights groups.
“The church and human rights defenders will continue to work together.” Omwanda said.
