By Tajeu Shadrack Nkapapa
In a significant stride towards protecting the rights and well-being of child victims, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) conducted its first virtual hearing from the newly established child-friendly interview room at the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) building.
According to the ODPP the accused person Joshua Ounda faces multiple charges of child pornography and online abuse.
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions reported that the prosecution, represented by Valentine Manyasi, called its first witness, a 14-year-old victim.
She provided her testimony in a secure facility specifically designed to safeguard her well-being and ensure her comfort.
In April 2024, the Director of Public Prosecutions Renson Igonga, launched this pioneering initiative to facilitate child-friendly interviews using technology.
Established with support from Lawyers without Borders, the initiative aims to pre-record evidence from child victims. This approach is designed to minimize secondary victimization and ensure that the testimony is accurate and reliable.
“The initiative established with support from Lawyers without Borders aims to pre-record evidence from child victims, thereby minimizing secondary victimization and ensuring accurate testimony,” Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions said.
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions said that it has created eight additional child-friendly interview rooms located in Mombasa, Lamu, Kisumu, Nakuru, Kajiado, Kiambu, Kibera, and Makadara, aimed at enhancing the effective delivering of justice for child victims.