6,000 remandees freed to avoid Covid-19 spread in cells

The Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji has said some 6,000 remandees have been freed across the country.

Haji on Tuesday said the move is part of the efforts to decongest correctional facilities and avoid potential infection and spread of the Covid-19.

According to Haji all those freed are petty offenders and keeping them in police cells would be more dangerous with the current situation.

“We have now zeroed to only serious cases and crimes. This will proceed as scheduled through online and video conferencing so as to avoid backlog when normalcy resumes,” he said.

Haji spoke at the National Treasury where he handed a Sh2 billion cheque to complement efforts of the Coronavirus Emergency Response Fund.

He said the amount was part of the Sh2.9 billion under the Prosecutions Fund which was established last year.

“We have in excess of Sh8 billion which was seized by the Multi-Agency teams comprising of the EACC and the DCI. We also have some other funds recovered through the Mutual Legal Assistance on cases outside Kenya’s jurisdiction on foreign interests,” the DPP said.

According to Haji, the prosecution fund has money but since some cases are incomplete due to appeals, the money still remains in its account waiting completion of these cases.

His sentiments were echoed by the EACC CEO Twalib Mbarak who said the multi-agency taskforce had recovered the money through plea bargaining.

According to Mbarak, the Sh2 billion handed to the Treasury was a product of the plea bargaining initiated by the ODPP.

He said EACC only advocates for Alternative Resolutions but the plea bargaining has seen the prosecution fund seize some good money.

"We still have some money which is hanging in courts because people have appealed, we can only recover it when the appeals are gone and in the long run we know institutions tasked to track these proceeds of corruption will be in a position to give back good money to the government,” he said.

On Monday President Uhuru Kenyatta directed the National Treasury to utilize the Sh2 billion of already recovered corruption proceeds to support the most vulnerable members of the society, especially the needy in our urban areas.  

Uhuru said every shilling saved from the proceeds of corruption and salary cuts and allowances will be used towards face masks, medical supplies and specialised equipment.

He said the amount will also support the most vulnerable members the society through the provision of water and food items and in support of any other initiatives needed in the war against Covid-19.