The Director Public Prosecutions (DPP) Noordin Haji has formally requested an apology from a local daily newspaper following a report claiming he discovered proxy companies used by four Cabinet Secretaries to exploit state contracts during a trip to Italy.
The publication alleged that Haji, alongside members of the Multi-Agency Team (MAT)—comprising the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), Attorney General (AG), Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), and Assets Recovery Authority—identified offshore firms linked to high-value tenders. Haji denied the claims, stating none of the MAT members named in the article accompanied him on the trip.
In a formal letter, Haji criticized the media outlet for circulating unverified information without seeking official clarification. 'It is unprofessional to propagate such narratives without engaging with the Office of the Director Public Prosecutions (ODPP),' he stated. He emphasized the ODPP maintains a transparent communication policy and rejected the article's suggestion of clandestine information leaks.
The DPP reiterated that investigations into projects involving Cabinet Secretaries are ongoing, warning that false reporting risks undermining due process. 'Such misreporting interferes with the rights of the innocent until proven guilty,' he said. Haji outlined that legal proceedings follow strict protocols, with final decisions communicated only after investigations conclude.
He called on media outlets to uphold factual accuracy, acknowledging their role in combating corruption while stressing the need for responsible reporting. 'Misinformation must cease,' Haji asserted, citing the importance of protecting judicial integrity.
