NAIROBI, Kenya- The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has intensified efforts to combat money laundering and terrorism financing by equipping investigators with advanced skills to trace illicit financial flows and dismantle criminal networks.
The DCI on Sunday announced the successful conclusion of a five-day Combating Money Laundering and Financing Terrorism training programme held at the National Criminal Investigations Academy (NCIA).
The course brought together investigators from across the country and focused on strengthening Kenya’s capacity to detect, investigate and disrupt complex financial crime schemes that sustain organised crime, fraud and terrorism.
Speaking during the closing ceremony on behalf of DCI Director Mohamed Amin, Director of Personnel Rosemary Kuraru urged the investigators to apply the knowledge gained in pursuing criminals who rely on sophisticated financial systems to conceal illegal proceeds.
“Criminals may hide behind shell companies, complex transactions and cross-border networks, but every illegal coin leaves a mark. Your job is to follow that trail and make sure crime does not pay,” Kuraru said.
The ceremony was attended by a delegation from Türkiye led by Internal Affairs and Security Consular Ibrahim Cildir and lead instructor Gokay Gurlel, alongside NCIA Commandant Ibrahim Jillo, DCI Director of Training Violate Makhanu and other senior officers.
Cildir said financial crime transcends national borders and requires international cooperation, intelligence sharing and highly trained investigators capable of tracking illicit money flows across jurisdictions.
Commandant Jillo commended the participants for their discipline throughout the training and praised the facilitators for successfully delivering the programme.
The training was conducted in partnership with the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) under the 2014 Kenya–Türkiye Cooperation Agreement on Security and Police Training.
According to the DCI, the programme equipped investigators with practical skills to detect money laundering, investigate terrorism financing and strengthen collaboration with international law enforcement agencies in responding to emerging financial crime threats.
The agency also thanked the Government of Türkiye, the Turkish National Police and TİKA for their continued support in enhancing investigators’ professional capacity through technical cooperation and knowledge exchange.
The initiative comes as Kenya works to exit the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list after the country was placed under increased monitoring in February 2024 over deficiencies in its anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing framework.
Kenya has since implemented reforms aimed at strengthening financial oversight, improving investigations and prosecutions, and aligning its anti-money laundering and countering financing of terrorism regime with international standards.
The DCI said building a highly skilled cadre of financial investigators remains central to the country’s efforts to dismantle criminal financial networks and restore confidence in Kenya’s financial system.