Kenya is worried that prosecuting Somali pirates in its courts may expose it to dangers.
Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City
Kenya’s Attorney General Amos Wako has disowned a deal to prosecute Somali pirates arrested in the high seas.
He said Kenya exposed itself to a major security threat by signing the deal. Mr. Wako put the Foreign Ministry on the spot, saying neither the Cabinet nor the AG’S office approved the agreement.
Mr.Wako further revealed that superpowers such as the United States, United Kingdom, and France have abandoned Kenya, after dumping the pirates in the country, and that they have refused to honor their part, including taking convicted pirates.
The AG was giving evidence before the Parliamentary Committee on Defense and Foreign Relations. He added that despite their might and capacities, the superpowers are afraid of prosecuting pirates due to the risks involved.
Wako said his office was never involved in drafting the six MOUs Kenya entered into with various countries on the deal.
“The Attorney General was not part of the policy determination or decision that we entered in the memorandum of understanding to prosecute pirates. That decision was made by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs”, he said.
The AG said fulfilling its international obligation, the foreign affairs ministry placed “much on the shoulders of the 39 million Kenyan”.
Wako was accompanied to a meeting with the Parliamentary committee meeting by the Public Prosecutor, Keriako Tobiko, assistant deputy public prosecutor, Jacob Ondari, among other officers from the State Law office.
The MoU were entered between Kenya and the US, UK, Canada, Denmark, China and the European Union.
Wako said his advice that prosecuting pirates on Kenyans soil was going to pose dangers to the country was ignored by the Foreign Ministry.
So far, 18 pirates have been convicted, while 100 others are in custody in Kenya.
Wako said the full impact of agreeing to handle the cases had not been explored before agreeing to take up the cases.
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