Director of Public Prosecutions Renson M. Ingonga, CBS, OGW, has called for stronger collaboration and enhanced technical capacity among justice sector actors to effectively combat the rapidly evolving threat of cybercrime and fintech-related offences in Kenya.
The DPP made the remarks today when he officially opened a three-day joint Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP)–Safaricom PLC Capacity-Building Workshop on the Prosecution of Cybercrime and Fintech-Related Crimes at the Argyle Grand Hotel in Nairobi.
DPP Ingonga described the workshop as a critical step towards strengthening the ODPP’s capacity to safeguard Kenya’s increasingly digital economy, noting that while technological advancement has delivered significant benefits, it has also created new opportunities for criminals.
“The nature of crime has fundamentally evolved. Modern criminality is no longer localised; it is instantaneous, sophisticated, and transnational.”
The DPP highlighted the growing scale of cyber threats facing the country, citing data from the National Computer and Cybercrime Coordination Committee (NC4) indicating that Kenya had recorded more than three billion cyberattack attempts in a single quarter.
He warned that criminals are increasingly exploiting fintech platforms to perpetrate sophisticated schemes, including SIM-swap attacks, social engineering, credit fraud and the use of distributed networks of money mules to move illicit funds through multiple mobile wallets.
“We must all take up measures to detect, disrupt, prohibit and appropriately respond to the adapting crime typologies by cybercriminals.”
Ingonga emphasised that the impact of cybercrime extends beyond financial losses, affecting ordinary citizens, businesses and critical institutions.
He reaffirmed the constitutional mandate of the DPP under Article 157 of the Constitution, stressing that the ODPP has a responsibility to protect the public interest, uphold the rule of law and ensure that individuals who undermine the security of Kenya’s cyberspace are held accountable through effective investigations and prosecutions.
The DPP observed that traditional approaches to prosecution are no longer sufficient to address the complexity of technology-enabled crime and called for closer cooperation among prosecutors, investigators and technology service providers.
“Safaricom PLC is not merely a telecommunications provider; it is the custodian of the critical digital infrastructure that powers our national commerce, relationships, as well as our security and safety.”
He said the partnership with Safaricom is therefore critical in bridging the gap between legal knowledge and the technical realities of telecommunications.
Ingonga challenged prosecutors participating in the training to deepen their understanding of telecommunications evidence and chain-of-custody requirements, while embracing prosecution-guided investigations that bring together investigators and network operators at the earliest stages of a case.
He further urged prosecutors to remain abreast of emerging jurisprudence and ensure that investigations and prosecutions are conducted in accordance with constitutional and human rights safeguards.
The DPP commended Safaricom PLC for its technical leadership and willingness to share expertise on system architecture and evidentiary protocols, noting that the collaboration demonstrates the importance of strategic partnerships in strengthening the administration of justice.
He called for the establishment of seamless, legally robust and privacy-compliant mechanisms for rapid incident response, particularly in cases requiring production orders, data preservation and the freezing of illicit funds.
Ingonga also challenged prosecutors to cascade the knowledge gained during the workshop to prosecution stations across all 47 counties.
“Let us build a prosecution service that is technically formidable, intellectually agile, and uncompromising in its pursuit of justice.”
Secretary Prosecution Services Alloys Kemo, OGW, appreciated Safaricom PLC for its swift and timely partnership with the ODPP in equipping prosecutors with the requisite skills and knowledge to effectively handle the ever-evolving nature of cyber-related crimes.
Safaricom Group Chief Risk Officer Nicholas Mulila acknowledged the ODPP’s continued efforts in prosecuting cybercrime and other technology-related offences. He commended prosecutors for their guidance and cooperation in advancing the pursuit of justice.
The three-day workshop is aimed at equipping prosecutors with practical knowledge on mobile network architecture, transaction telemetry, Call Data Records (CDRs), subscriber identity verification and the conversion of telecommunications metadata into admissible evidence.
