NAIROBI, Kenya — The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) has concluded a three-day capacity-building programme aimed at strengthening the investigation and prosecution of human trafficking cases through improved coordination among criminal justice agencies.
The training, held from July 1 to July 3 at the National Criminal Investigation Academy (NCIA), brought together investigators, prosecutors, children’s officers and border management officials drawn from the Nyanza, Rift Valley, Nairobi and Western regions.
According to the ODPP, the programme focused on the implementation of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) designed to enhance the handling of trafficking in persons cases through a coordinated, rights-based and victim-centred approach.
Standardising investigations
Participants received practical training on key stages of investigating and prosecuting trafficking in persons offences, including victim identification and protection, investigation planning, crime scene management and trial preparation.
The sessions also covered financial investigations, international cooperation, witness protection and the use of a digitised SOP checklist intended to promote consistency, accountability and effective case management.
The ODPP said the training sought to equip frontline officers with practical skills to improve investigations while ensuring victims are protected throughout the criminal justice process.
Enhancing multi-agency cooperation
The prosecution agency said effective responses to trafficking in persons require close collaboration among investigators, prosecutors, child protection officers and border management agencies, particularly given the cross-border nature of many trafficking cases.
By bringing together officers from different institutions and regions, the training aimed to strengthen information sharing, streamline investigations and improve coordination during prosecutions.
The initiative forms part of ongoing efforts by the ODPP to enhance the capacity of justice sector institutions in combating human trafficking, which remains a serious transnational crime affecting vulnerable populations, including women and children.
The ODPP said continued implementation of the Standard Operating Procedures is expected to improve the quality of investigations, strengthen prosecutions and enhance accountability in the fight against trafficking in persons.