ODPP, IPOA Strengthen Partnership to Enhance Police Accountability
In a bid to bolster police accountability and uphold human rights, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) and the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) on Monday, June 30, 2025, reaffirmed their commitment to collaboration.
The North Eastern Regional Coordinator, SADPP Bonny Okemwa, held a consultative meeting with a team of senior IPOA officials who paid him a courtesy call.
The meeting focused on the importance of collaboration, coordination, and cooperation between the two independent agencies.
Okemwa emphasized the need for effective investigations into cases of police excesses to enhance police accountability in the country.
He and the IPOA Commissioner Dr. Micah Onyiego and Northern Eastern regional head Tim Nzomu, among others, resolved to strengthen the existing partnership between the two agencies.
They also highlighted the need for regular joint trainings to equip both prosecutors and investigators with the necessary skills to handle police-related cases.
Okemwa further stressed that law enforcement agencies must uphold fundamental human rights while discharging their mandates.
The ODPP and IPOA have a crucial role in ensuring justice and accountability, with the ODPP independently assessing investigation files submitted by IPOA and determining whether to prosecute.
The discussion also highlighted success stories of collaboration between the agencies, particularly cases forwarded for prosecution.
Both parties agreed that diversion or plea bargain agreements could be effective approaches in handling certain cases.
Furthermore, they discussed plans to open satellite IPOA offices in Mandera and Wajir to fast-track investigations in the region.
This partnership has yielded results, with over 50 convictions secured in courts, including landmark rulings on unlawful killings and serious violations by police officers.
The agencies have pledged to strengthen their collaboration, ensuring that cases involving police misconduct are properly prosecuted.
ODPP plays a key role in the criminal justice chain by independently assessing investigation files submitted by IPOA and determining whether there is sufficient evidence to prosecute.
This collaborative framework ensures that cases involving police misconduct are properly prosecuted, contributing to the broader goal of justice and accountability.