Kenya’s Cybercrime Response Strengthened With Commonwealth And UK Support

More than 50 magistrates from across Kenya have completed specialised Commonwealth training designed to equip them to handle cybercrime cases that affect individuals and businesses every day. Supported by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), the three-day training was held in Naivasha from 12 to 14 November in partnership with the Kenya Judiciary Academy (KJA).

The programme focused on building stronger collaboration and practical skills to tackle crimes committed online,  such as phishing scams and malicious deepfakes,  as well as offline offences that involve electronic evidence, including fraud or harassment coordinated through email or social media. Over the three days, magistrates worked through mock cybercrime cases to explore how domestic laws, international treaties, and mutual legal assistance apply in practice.

They also examined common challenges, particularly how to collect, preserve, and authenticate electronic evidence so that it can be relied upon in court. In his remarks, Supreme Court Judge Smokin Wanjala, Director of the Kenya Judiciary Academy, described the digital space as a double-edged sword: a realm of unprecedented opportunity, yet one that exposes people to new forms of harm. He emphasised that delivering justice to victims of cybercrime demands both legal and technological literacy. Justice Wanjala welcomed the Commonwealth training as a timely intervention, noting that it advanced the Academy’s goal of ensuring every judicial officer is “legally astute, digitally aware, globally informed, and institutionally prepared” to address cybercrime. He added: “We must never lose sight of the human dimension of cybercrime — there are real victims.

Our judicial response must therefore balance technological comprehension with empathy, fairness, and an unwavering commitment to protecting those victims.”Magistrates reported that the training had significantly boosted their confidence in handling complex cybercrime cases. Eddah Agade, Principal Magistrate in Mukurweini, previously described cybercrime cases as a “bottomless pit”.

After the training, she said the depth now felt within reach, particularly through understanding key aspects of digital forensics such as hash values and metadata.“That evidence is the bridge between a crime and conviction,” she explained. “I am now far better equipped to evaluate the merits of electronic evidence and deliver justice.”

Ewan Smith, Head of Cyber Incident Response and Cybercrime Programmes at the FCDO, highlighted the growing threat, citing INTERPOL data showing a 25 per cent year-on-year increase in cyber-attacks targeting African countries.“By bringing together magistrates from across Kenya’s regions, we are fostering peer-to-peer learning and building a nationwide community of practice,” he said. “Together, we will continue to make meaningful progress in our shared fight against cybercrime.”

Impact of similar training Commonwealth Assistant Secretary-General Professor Luis G. Franceschi revealed that similar programmes in another jurisdiction had resulted in a 50 per cent improvement in how judicial officers handled electronic evidence. He expressed confidence that the Kenya training would yield comparable outcomes. He concluded:

“The task before us may seem immense, but together,  with integrity, courage, and wisdom, we can make the digital realm a place where rights are protected, trust is restored, and justice prevails. “We cannot guarantee success, but we can guarantee failure if we give up. So, let us not give up.”