Civil society caucus now wants DPP removed from office for ineptitude

The National Integrity Alliance yesterday called for the removal of Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Noordin Haji.

In a petition to the Public Service Commission, they termed Haji’s tenure as one beset with incompetence, gross misconduct and lacking in leadership and integrity.

“On incompetence, we have highlighted several instances where the DPP has made various applications to withdraw from prosecution several active cases in court, including graft-related cases on grounds of insufficient evidence to sustain a prosecution,” the petition read.

The petitioner further said some cases were graft-related and were dropped on grounds of insufficient evidence to sustain prosecution.

The alliance wondered how Haji could institute prosecutions that were bound to fail, despite the law requiring his office not to, unless those prosecutions present reasonable prospects of conviction.

It also claimed Haji failed to follow set out guidelines on decisions to charge cases, acting against the interests of justice, and in the process failing to promote public trust and confidence in his capacity as DPP.

The petitioner said, “On gross misconduct we have highlighted the DPP’s actions in exercising preferential treatment in handling the prosecution of some cases of politically exposed persons. The withdrawal of prosecution of cases affecting a category of people within a set timeframe is discriminatory behaviour.”