President William Ruto on Thursday officially closed the 23rd Commonwealth Heads of Prosecuting Agencies Conference held in Mombasa, reaffirming Kenya’s commitment to regional and international cooperation in tackling transnational organized crime.
The week-long summit, held under the theme “Building Partnerships: A United Front Against Transnational Organised Crimes,” brought together prosecution leaders from 19 Commonwealth nations. The conference aimed to foster stronger partnerships, promote exchange of best practices, and enhance the prosecutorial capacity of member states in responding to complex international crimes.
President Ruto was accompanied by Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir and Kenya’s Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Renson Ingonga. In his address, the President emphasized the importance of international collaboration in responding to evolving criminal threats, especially in the face of increasing cybercrime, human trafficking, and money laundering across borders.
“Organised crime does not respect borders. We must therefore not only cooperate, but coordinate our efforts in real time to dismantle criminal networks and ensure justice for victims,” Ruto said.
The conference saw participation from key prosecutorial heads including those from Kenya, Uganda, Zambia, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Mozambique, Seychelles, and Morocco. Other international delegates came from countries beyond the African continent such as Australia, Scotland, Ireland, New Zealand, England, Wales, Antigua and Barbuda, and Azerbaijan.
DPP Renson Ingonga noted that the conference presented a timely opportunity to align Kenya’s prosecutorial practices with global standards, particularly in the handling of cross-border crime cases. “This collaboration enhances the efficiency and credibility of our criminal justice systems and strengthens mutual legal assistance frameworks,” he said.
The event also provided a platform for peer learning on strategies such as asset recovery, witness protection, and counter-terrorism prosecution. A series of panel discussions and workshops helped prosecutors explore innovative approaches to case management and inter-agency collaboration.
As the conference concluded, the delegates resolved to deepen joint efforts and maintain open communication channels across jurisdictions, reaffirming their commitment to the ideals of justice, rule of law, and collective security within the Commonwealth and beyond.
