Anti-corruption lobby Transparency International – Kenya has withdrawn the Leadership Integrity Award issued to Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Noordin Haji in 2019.
The move to strip Haji of the award comes barely a fortnight since DPP Haji, an ex-NIS (National Intelligence Service) man, was nominated by President William Ruto to serve as the new director-general of the NIS. He is expected to replace Maj-Gen Kameru who has served in the position since 2014.
In the months following Ruto’s swearing in as President in September last year, Haji has been on the spot as numerous graft cases involving allies of the President either collapsed or were withdrawn by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP).
Transparency International noted that among the withdrawn cases were those he had been awarded for prosecuting. He was handed the award at a time when the ODPP was aggressively pursuing high-level graft cases against senior government officials and leaders.
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“The Leadership Integrity Award was, at that time, bestowed upon you in recognition of the role played in the criminal justice process, particularly in ensuring the prosecution of serious corruption cases and providing strategic direction to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP),” Transparency International noted.
“Regrettably, we have received public petitions and conducted an assessment based on concerns raised by the public and our partners championing integrity in Kenya. These petitions have raised serious allegations regarding the withdrawal of high-profile corruption cases, including those for which you were previously recognized, resulting in the loss of funds.”
In the letter, Transparency International directed Haji to surrender the certificate and plaque he received.
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