Mombasa – President William Ruto landed in the coastal city of Mombasa on Wednesday morning to close the 23rd Commonwealth Heads of Prosecuting Agencies Conference (HOPAC), a high-level summit focused on strengthening global cooperation in tackling organised crime.
The week-long gathering, hosted at Sarova Whitesands Hotel, brought together chief prosecutors from 19 Commonwealth nations from the United Kingdom to New Zealand as well as top legal minds from across Africa, including Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Seychelles, and Morocco.
“It’s no longer enough to focus on crime within our borders,” President Ruto told delegates. “Money laundering, terrorism, and cyber-enabled crimes are crossing boundaries faster than our legal systems can respond. We need each other.”
He was received by Mombasa Governor Abdullswamad Nassir and Kenya’s Director of Public Prosecutions, Renson Ingonga. The President’s message was clear: fighting transnational crimes demands deep and sustained collaboration not just good intentions.
A Call for Joint Action
This year’s theme, “Building Partnerships through International Cooperation in the Fight Against Money Laundering, Terrorism, Terrorism Financing and Transnational Crimes,” reflects a growing concern among prosecutors worldwide.
Organised crime groups, officials say, have grown more sophisticated and more international. Whether it’s financial fraud, human trafficking, or terrorism financing, the links often stretch across continents.
“You can’t fight this kind of threat with siloed investigations,” said Rachel Smith, a senior prosecutor from Wales. “That’s why forums like this matter. They build trust. They help us share tools, evidence, and sometimes even personnel.”
African Voices Take the Stage
African delegates were prominent in the discussions, particularly on issues tied to corruption and weak enforcement capacity.
“The challenges we face are immense, but our commitment is greater,” said Uganda’s Chief Prosecutor during a panel on judicial reform. “We’re not just here to listen; we’re here to lead.”
The summit also allowed space to address rising concerns over digital crimes and how existing legal frameworks are often poorly equipped to keep up.
“A crime committed on a laptop in Nairobi can affect victims in London, Johannesburg or Sydney,” noted DPP Ingonga. “That’s the reality we’re dealing with.”
Mombasa’s Strategic Role
Kenya’s hosting of the event was no coincidence. As East Africa’s main port city, Mombasa is both a commercial lifeline and, at times, a corridor for illicit trade.
The region has seen repeated efforts to intercept smuggled goods, drugs, and unregulated financial flows all of which fall under the broader umbrella of transnational crime. Holding HOPAC here was a symbolic move, underlining the need for local action and global support.
Looking Ahead
The conference ends with hopes of more structured cooperation, including shared databases, joint training programmes, and faster extradition processes. Some countries have called for a new Commonwealth-wide treaty on cross-border evidence-sharing.
Whether such measures gain traction remains to be seen, but what’s clear is that prosecutors are demanding more than talk.
As Ruto concluded his speech, he struck a tone that was both urgent and hopeful: “The fight against crime will only be won if we act together with courage, honesty, and unity of purpose.”
For now, those fighting that battle have left Mombasa with new contacts, shared goals, and a deeper understanding of what that unity must look like in action.
About the Author
