The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) has kicked off a countrywide public awareness drive to sensitise the public on its work and tackle mounting court cases delays, with a focus on faster justice delivery.
Speaking in Nanyuki Town during a weekend team-building retreat for prosecutors from 13 Rift Valley counties, Prosecution Services Director Alloys Kemo revealed that the ODPP was expanding the use of plea bargains and diversion programs to ease pressure on the courts.
“Plea bargaining saves time and resources. Once an accused person pleads guilty to negotiated charges, we don’t need to call witnesses or go through a full trial,” Kemo said.
Pre-bargain means a negotiated agreement between the defenders and the prosecutor in a criminal case to avoid going for a full trial where the accused agrees to plead guilty in exchange for concession from the prosecution resulting in lighter sentence.
“It’s very expensive in term of time and money to prove a very complex case in court. Plea bargain saves the government a lot of such expenses. These are some of the alternative ways we are deploying to provide for prosecutions and reduce cases backlog,” he stated.
Kemo urged at-risk witnesses to contact the ODPP immediately for state protection, including relocation to safe houses until their cases are concluded.
In the past, ODPP has faced sharp criticism over repeated adjournments and slow case disposal. The new sensitisation campaign and adoption of modern case management tools are part of ongoing reforms to restore public trust and streamline operations.
According to Temo, through community engagement, plea bargaining, and witness protection, the ODPP aims to deliver quicker, cheaper, and safer justice for all Kenyans.
– By Muturi Mwangi
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