09 Mar 2022

 The absence of memorandum of agreement (MoA) between Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and Zambian National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) poses a challenge on transnational crime.

DPP director, Advocate Stephen Tiroyakgosi, said this in an interview on the sidelines of a meeting between DPP and NPA’s senior state counsellor, Advocate Fulata Shawa-Siyunyi in Kasane recently.

The objective of the meeting was to review MoU on the fight against transnational crime that was signed by the two institutions in 2019.

Advocate Tiroyakgosi said the existence of MoA would give way for the two institutions to assist each other since it would have clear rules and procedures on how to deal with trans-border crime.

Another advantage of MoA, he said, was to make it possible for witnesses and accused persons to be availed to a country that crime was committed in.

 Advocate Tiroyakgosi said one of the major trans-boundary crimes was vehicle theft where stolen vehicles passed through Botswana to Zambia and other countries. He said during the 2020 lockdown, police reports indicated an upsurge in cases of smuggling of tobacco and alcohol at the Kazungula Border.

The DPP director said as the State of Emergency (SOE) guidelines prohibited sale of alcohol, some people sneaked it in Botswana.

Advocate Tiroyakgosi noted that poaching took place between Botswana, especially in Chobe and Zambia involving the citizens of the two countries.

He said DPP was committed to working with Zambia.

  For his part, Advocate Shawa-Siyunyi said the 2019 MoU on the fight against transnational crime solidified cooperation between the two institutions.

She said the two countries had common crimes such as wildlife, burglary and money laundering therefore the objectives of the MoU would assist expedite the prosecution processes of such.

Advocate Shawa-Sinyunyi said in Zambia, the prosecuting authority had shortage of staff to deal with transnational crime as it was a landlocked country with eight neighbouring countries. She observed that technology also played a major role in terms of crime.

Advocate Shawa-Sinyunyi said Zambia had good laws but they needed constant reviews as crime evolved necessitating laws to be up to date. She expressed hope that the MoU between the two countries would help them exchange best practices and build capacity. ENDS