Nairobi Star (Nairobi)
Ramadhan Rajab
16 June 2011
Justice and Constitutional Affairs minister Mutula Kilonzo now want more money allocated to the witness protection agency. Mutula who spoke at the Third State of Human Rights report Launch yesterday said the agency needs more budgetary allocation to enable it run its programmes of protecting witnesses effectively.
Mutula said the recent allocation of Sh235 million in the year’s budget was not enough to run an effective witness protection programme that will ensure a just criminal system.
He said his ministry had requested Sh1.5 billion. He said he called on the Parliamentary Budget Committee to review the allocation. “The allocation is not enough to provide an effective witness protection program and a country without an effective witness protection agency cannot enforce a criminal justice system that will respect the basic principles of human rights,” Mutula said.
The minister further called on the development partners to step in and fund the programmes in case the parliamentary committee fails to provide the requested funds. “Even if we had angel like judges and you have been sued and the prosecutor fails to bring witness the angels will set you free, this is why we want a well funded agency that will be effective,” he added.
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Kenya: Mutula Needs Sh1.5 Billion for Witness Protection