We will help Kenya fight graft, FBI says

FBI director Christopher Wray with DCI boss Mohammed Amin at DCI headquarters along Kiambu road. [Fred Kagonye, Standard]

The Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) has pledged to help Kenya in the fight against graft.

Wray held meetings with the Directorate of Criminal Investigations boss Mohammed Amin and Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission boss Twalib Mbarak.

Wray told The Standard that investigating and fighting corruption has been a key mandate of the bureau since its inception and they are eager to offer Kenya their expertise in fighting the vice.

"Corruption is among the most important threats that we investigate because corruption strikes at the heart of the rule of law and public confidence in their institutions in government," he told The Standard.

According to Wray societies across the world look up to authorities such as DCI and FBI to ensure that their resources are well utilised.

"The FBI will continue to look for ways to strengthen our partnership and support EACC efforts to safeguard the rule of law and ensure public confidence in institutions," he said after meeting Mbarak.

He also called on the DCI and other agencies to be courageous in the important fight.

"Corruption involves powerful individuals or wealthy and powerful and most important to demonstrate to citizens in any free society that they can have trust in the institutions is to have agencies investigate those offences."

On his part, DCI boss Mohammed Amin said that corruption is a transnational crime that calls for collaboration with agencies from different countries.

"It poses a serious threat to our international society and as well to the stability of our states."

He said DCI has taken steps to make sure that corruption cases are reported regardless of the people or the entities involved and that they are expeditiously investigated and prosecuted.

He said that the FBI has been tipping the DCI and sharing intelligence on corruption which helps them in the probe.

"As a country, we have no room for any corrupt activities," said Amin.