DPP Ingonga presides over historic opening of APA headquarters in Morocco

Kenya’s Director of Public Prosecutions and President of the Africa Prosecutors Association (APA), Renson M. Ingonga, officially inaugurated the Africa Prosecutors Association Headquarters in Rabat, Morocco, marking a significant milestone in the strengthening of prosecutorial cooperation and justice systems across the African continent.

The newly established Secretariat will serve as the permanent administrative and coordination hub of the Association, providing a central platform for collaboration among prosecution authorities from across Africa as they confront increasingly complex and transnational forms of crime.

The inauguration ceremony brought together Prosecutors General, Directors of Public Prosecutions, Attorneys General and senior justice sector officials from all regions of Africa, underscoring the growing importance of cross-border cooperation in the administration of justice.

Ingonga described the opening of the headquarters as a transformative moment for the continent’s prosecution services.

“Today is not merely a ceremonial occasion. It is a defining institutional milestone that gives our shared continental vision a permanent home and a stronger foundation upon which African prosecutors can work together in pursuit of justice,” he said.

Ingonga commended the Kingdom of Morocco for hosting the Secretariat and praised member states for their collective commitment to building a stronger, more coordinated and sustainable prosecutorial network.

He observed that African prosecutors are operating in an increasingly challenging environment marked by rapidly evolving criminal threats. These include corruption, money laundering, illicit financial flows, terrorism, cybercrime, trafficking in persons, environmental crimes and other forms of transnational organized crime that continue to undermine economic development, security and public confidence in institutions.

The APA President also highlighted emerging threats such as digital fraud, cyberbullying, online exploitation, virtual asset-related crimes and attacks against vulnerable members of society, noting that criminal networks are increasingly leveraging technology to evade detection and prosecution.

“In this environment, no prosecution authority can afford to work in isolation. The modern prosecutor must be legally sound, technologically aware, internationally connected and institutionally courageous. Our collective success will depend on our ability to cooperate across borders and respond effectively to emerging criminal trends,” Ingonga said.

He called for stronger collaboration in areas such as mutual legal assistance, extradition, asset recovery, digital evidence management and capacity building for prosecutors.

The establishment of the APA Headquarters is expected to enhance institutional coordination, strengthen information sharing and support the development of common strategies to address Africa’s evolving criminal justice challenges.

Delegates attending the event reaffirmed their commitment to promoting prosecutorial independence, professionalism and integrity while advancing the rule of law and protecting the rights and interests of citizens across the continent.