DPP gets sh600m to fight corruption

Apr 23, 2008

THE Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has received an additional $340,000 (about sh605m) to fight corruption. The funds came as a result of an agreement between the Government and the Millennium Challenge Corporation, a development fund announced by the George Bush in 2002, to push for more a

By Milton Olupot

THE Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has received an additional $340,000 (about sh605m) to fight corruption.

DPP Richard Butera yesterday told MPs on the legal affairs committee that the money would boost the newly-established fraud unit, which is handling 33 high profile cases.

The funds came as a result of an agreement between the Government and the Millennium Challenge Corporation, a development fund announced by the George Bush in 2002, to push for more accountability for both rich and poor countries.

Butera, flanked by his deputies Amos Ngolobe and Simon Byabakama, said his office planned to expand operations to 28 new districts.

The DPP requires sh13.5b for the financial year 2007/2008 but only sh6.5b has been allocated.

Ngolobe said the funding gap was bound to result into operational difficulties.

Butera expressed the hope that the appointment of the new judges and the recent recruitment of 60 state attorneys would reduce the backlog in court.

He said 4,864 committed cases were pending in the High Court, 29,000 in magistrate courts and 120,000 had been registered and perused by the DPP.

The amendment of the Magistrate Courts Act, allowing them to try defilement cases, had also eased the pressure on the High Court, he added.

Butera named the priority areas this year as facilitation of prosecutors to handle court cases (sh1.5b), opening new DPP stations in 28 districts (2.2b), facilitating state witnesses (1.08b), construction of DPP up-country offices (sh800m) and training of prosecutors (sh1b).

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