Anglo Leasing Suspects Could Be Charged Soon

Kenya Times

12 January 2005 Page: 3

ATTORNEY General Amos Wako yesterday said the individuals implicated in the Anglo Leasing scandal may be prosecuted next month. The AG said the Kenya Anti Corruption Commission was yet to conclude investigations into the scandal and he expressed hope that the findings would be presented to him by end of this month. Wako said the individuals would only be prosecuted if there was enough evidence. He said the KACC officials were working with other governments to ensure completion of the investigations. He made the remarks when he met members of the Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) at a consultative meeting to chart out the way forward in reducing the backlog of court cases. FIDA Kenya is working on a joint venture with an American university on an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) program that is need responsive structured for its members. And California State University through its Sacramento Centre for African Peace and Conflict Resolution (CAPCR), has agreed to fund the programme that is due to begin before the end of the year. The Attorney General Amos Wako, addressing a press conference yesterday said the government is committed to facilitating the project that will benefit all Kenyans. Wako noted that the programme would reduce the backlog of court cases, noting that the government had instituted a committee mandated to come up with rules that would help in smooth implementation of the programme. He however explained that it was not mandatory to opt for ADR, but an agreement for both parties to settle their grievances outside the court to save them the extraneous expenses incurred during court proceedings. The project director Ernest Uwazie said that the main goal of the proposed project is to develop materials and promote the use of ADR in peaceful settlement of certain disputes. Uwazie added that the project is aimed at strengthening the internal capacity within the Kenyan legal profession and community for conflict management and resolution. “The program is intended to train members of judiciary and assist in educating the public on ADR to meet the needs of every Kenyans,” he said. The executive director of FIDA Jane Onyango observed that the project is an effective way of settling family disputes which are sensitive since the program involve dialogue between two parties. A diverse team of experienced US experts on ADR is expected to conduct training workshops in US and Kenya for a multi-ethnic team from country and develop curricula for post training programs that reflect the respective country need. The system once implemented will provide concrete resolution to contractual parties and do follow up in certain cases that already present in the court.