Director of Public Prosecutions Renson Ingonga has called for closer cooperation among Kenya’s criminal justice agencies and international partners to counter the growing threat of transnational organised crime.
Ingonga made the call on Monday during a meeting with representatives of the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and senior officials from key Kenyan criminal justice institutions.
The meeting brought together the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), Asset Recovery Agency (ARA), Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) and Financial Reporting Centre (FRC) to discuss emerging threats and ways of improving joint responses to crimes that cross national borders.
Ingonga said organised criminal groups were becoming more sophisticated, exploiting technology, porous borders and differences between countries' legal and enforcement systems to conceal their activities and evade prosecution.
“Tackling transnational organized crime requires joint efforts, strong partnerships and coordinated action among all actors in the criminal justice system,” Ingonga stated.
He called for greater sharing of intelligence and expertise, closer coordination of investigations and prosecutions, and stronger mechanisms for cross-border cooperation.
The DPP's concerns come against a backdrop of increasingly complex financial and cyber-enabled crime in Kenya.
The DCI says its mandate includes investigating serious offences such as narcotics trafficking, human trafficking, money laundering, terrorism, organised crime and cybercrime.
Recent cases illustrate the international dimension of such crimes.
In August 2026, DCI investigators said three Kenyan suspects were facing extradition proceedings to the United States over alleged cyber-enabled offences.
The investigation followed a Mutual Legal Assistance request from US law enforcement authorities seeking assistance in investigating and apprehending six Kenyan nationals.
The case demonstrates how investigations can require evidence, intelligence and enforcement action across several jurisdictions before suspects can be brought before a court.
Financial crime is another major component of the challenge.
Data from the Financial Reporting Centre's 2024 annual report shows that Kenyan reporting institutions filed 7,802 cash transaction reports during the year.
Although the number of reports fell from 11,079 in 2023, the number of transactions covered by those reports increased sharply from 82,664 to 234,787.
The FRC requires reporting institutions to submit reports on cash transactions equivalent to or above US$15,000, whether or not the transaction is considered suspicious.
It also requires suspicious transactions or activities linked to possible money laundering, terrorism financing or proliferation financing to be reported promptly.
Ingonga said these developments underline the importance of connecting investigators, prosecutors, financial intelligence experts and international partners when pursuing complex criminal networks.
The DPP said criminal groups continued to exploit technological advances and jurisdictional gaps, making it difficult for individual agencies or countries to tackle their activities independently.
“Criminal networks continue to exploit technological advancements, porous borders and differences in legal and enforcement frameworks to facilitate their activities, making inter-agency and international cooperation critical in disrupting their operations,” the Director of Public Prosecutions maintained.
Kenyan authorities have also reported cases involving technology-enabled fraud.
In 2025, DCI investigators arrested six suspected cybercriminals accused of using caller-ID spoofing to impersonate bank and telecommunications customer-care officials. Investigators said victims lost millions of shillings through the scheme, including one victim who lost Sh3.4 million.
The authorities have also intensified cooperation with US agencies in tackling drug trafficking.
In July 2026, the DCI received operational vehicles from the US Drug Enforcement Administration through the US Embassy in Nairobi to support efforts against illicit drug trafficking and transnational organised crime.
Ingonga maintained that sustained partnerships with international agencies such as the FBI would strengthen institutional capacity, promote the exchange of expertise and enhance approaches to investigating and prosecuting complex crimes.
His office reaffirmed its commitment to working closely with law enforcement agencies and international partners to strengthen Kenya’s criminal justice response to transnational organised crime.
He added that his office would continue strengthening partnerships at national, regional and international levels as part of its mandate to ensure effective, independent and fair prosecution of criminal cases.
The meeting therefore placed emphasis on a coordinated criminal justice response, with intelligence sharing, financial investigations, joint operations and cross-border legal assistance emerging as important tools in disrupting organised criminal networks.
For Kenya, the challenge extends beyond apprehending suspects.
Authorities must also trace illicit financial flows, secure digital evidence, identify networks operating across borders and ensure that cases can be successfully prosecuted.
Ingonga's call for stronger cooperation reflects the growing need for agencies to work together as organised crime becomes increasingly technology-driven and international in nature.