Justice Abodo optimistic as she reflects on first 100 days as DPP

Justice Jane Frances Abodo has said she is happy a lot has been achieved in her first 100 days as the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Abodo assumed office in April and clocked 100 days on Saturday.

Speaking about the first days in office, she noted that despite the challenging times, particularly, in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic a lot has been achieved.

“The top management structures of the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) were on May,12, 2020 re-organized including the re-designation of the membership of the top management team which is now comprised of the DPP, Deputy DPPs and other members as co-opted by top management,”Abodo said.

“There was establishment of a senior management team which is now comprised of heads of departments, divisions, sections and units. There is now designation of legal managers for the DPP and the four Deputy DPPs.”

Justice Abodo says several specialized units have been established at the Directorate of Public Prosecutions whereas existing ones have re-organized and their reporting mechanism streamlined in order to ensure that the institution has the right skills placed in the right places.

“The Cybercrime Unit was established under the Anti-Corruption Department, the Homicide Unit created under the Department of General Casework, the ODPP Administrative Sanctions Enforcement Unit, the Asset Recovery Unit has been put under the International Cooperation Department,” she said.

Justice Abodo said that the Plea Bargain Unit was re-orgnaised to report to the head of the department in charge of general casework whereas the Wildlife and Environment Crime Unit is now under the department of Land Crimes.

The new changes have seen the Prevention of Trafficking in Persons Unit put under the International Crimes department.

“A number of innovative ways have been earmarked to tackle the monster of case backlog which has dogged the judicial system for so long including plea bargaining sessions, Coronavirus cases disposed of as well as pre-trial review and weeding out committed cases,”Abodo said.

“Provision of Criminal Justice requires a concerted effort. The office of the DPP  cannot effectively execute and deliver on its mandate in the absence of the Executive, Parliament, Judiciary, the Police, the Prisons, Advocates among others.”

I want to make my time count, says new DPP Abodo

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