The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP)

Who Are We?

The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) is the National Prosecuting Authority established by the Constitution of Kenya (2010) to institute and undertake criminal proceedings against any person before any court other than a court martial in respect of any offence alleged to have been committed.

The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) is the head of the ODPP and operates independently as stipulated under Article 157 of the Constitution. However, the DPP is required to be accountable to the public by presenting an Annual report to the President and Parliament on the performance of the ODPP. The DPP may also be required, on a need basis to present a report to Parliament on a matter of national or public interest.

The Office was previously a department in the Attorney General’s Office discharging responsibilities in the criminal jurisdiction for the Republic of Kenya on behalf of the Attorney General. The ODPP was delinked from the State Law Office in 2011 following the appointment of the Director of Public Prosecutions under the new constitutional dispensation.

The ODPP has a presence in all the 47 counties and 131 court stations across the country, with its headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya. ODPP has eight (8) regional Offices which are headed by Regional Coordinators who provide oversight and coordinate prosecution services in the counties.

Nationally, the ODPP prosecutors deal with a wide range of cases, from minor offences in the magistrates’ courts to serious cases such as murder, which are heard in the High Court. The majority of our workload is in the Magistrates’ Courts.

ODPP strives to provide quality, impartial and timely services in a manner that is professional, efficient and fair.

The ODPP Office Bearers

2023 - Current
Renson M. Ingonga

Director of Public Prosecutions

2018 - 2023
Noordin M. Haji

Director of Public Prosecutions

2005 - 2018
Keriako Tobiko

Director of Public Prosecutions

2003 - 2005
Philip K. Murgor

Director of Public Prosecutions

1999 - 2003
Pamela Uniter Kidullah

Director of Public Prosecutions

1994 - 1999
Bernard Chunga

Director of Public Prosecutions

1988 - 1993
Bernard Chunga

Deputy Prosecutor

1983 - 1987
Benjamin Kubo

Deputy Public Prosecutor

1980 - 1982
S.S. Rao

Deputy Public Prosecutor

1973 - 1980
J. B Karugu

Deputy Public Prosecutor

1967 - 1970
J. R. Hobbs

Deputy Public Prosecutor : M.A(Cantabury), Barrister-at-law

1967 - 1970
K. C. Brooks

Deputy Public Prosecutor : M.A (Cantabury), Barrister-at-law

Skip to content