The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has refuted media reports in which it allegedly accused the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) of ‘slowing down the war on graft.’ EACC says in a letter that the commission and the ODPP enjoy a cordial relationship that has promoted partnership to ensure efficiency in movement of files between the two offices.
“Contrary to the statement, EACC and ODPP has established an efficient working partnership that has eased the movement of files between the two institutions,” EACC Chairman Mumo Matemu stated.
He explained that through the partnership, the ODPP had assigned prosecutors to work with EACC investigators.
“The ODPP has been very supportive to the commission to the extent of donating some prosecutors pursuant to Section 5(3) of the ODPP Act, to work alongside the EACC investigators so as to fast-track and provide quality investigations,” he said.
He said the working ‘pact had tremendously reduced the perennial movement of files between the two institutions.’
According to Matemu, the two offices have other modalities in which they work together to ensure they ‘deliver results to Kenyans.’
He complained that the media report was done in bad taste to allege that EACC commissioner Prof Jane Onsongo gave an interview accusing the ODPP of derailing the war against graft.
Matemu wrote a letter to the media organisation demanding an apology, or evidence to support the alleged interview with Prof Onsongo.
“The commission therefore demands, with immediate effect, the production of evidence to the effect that Professor Jane Onsongo, a commissioner with EACC uttered words or even alluded to the misleading information that the DPP is slowing down war on graft”.
“We further demand that the said article be recanted and an apology issued to the commission, the DPP and Commissioner Jane Onsongo immediately,” Matemu stated in his letter.
DPP Keriako Tobiko also wrote to the EACC to complain about the allegations made against his office.
He said he was shocked that EACC would claim that his office had ‘blocked prosecution of culprits’ yet they have been working together to ensure faster movement of files.
“To say that I was shocked by the said report would be an understatement. I was appalled and horrified by it for obvious reasons,” Tobiko said.
He explained that his office had acted on all files received from EACC and none that was pending as alleged in the media report.
Tobiko further explained that when his office and EACC appeared before the Parliamentary Departmental Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs on Feb 19, EACC confirmed that there were no files that it had submitted to his office that had not been acted upon.
EACC and the ODPP appeared before the Parliamentary Committee to jointly respond to queries touching on their offices.
“Your own statistics also show that our (ODPP/EACC) concurrence rate is over 95 percent,” Tobiko indicated in the letter sent to Matemu.
Prof Onsongo has also denied making such remarks to any media outlet.