DPP office not weak, Feleshi says as he brushes off criticism

Dar es Salaam. The outgoing director of Public Prosecutions, Dr Eliezer Feleshi, has defended himself against criticism that the government has  lost many cases due to the weakness of his office.

Dr Feleshi was speaking to reporters after he and 19 others were sworn in by President Jakaya Kikwete as High Court judges at the State House grounds yesterday.

“The allegations are purely perceptions by some people. When I took the DPP office seven years ago I swore to defend the country’s constitution as well as do the job to the best of my ability, and that is what I’ve done,” said Dr Feleshi.

According to him, the government has been failing in some cases due to the lack of cooperation from wananchi.“Some wananchi haven’t been ready to volunteer information. So it is really tough for authorities to address evil deeds in society. For example, perpetrators of bomb attacks live in society but wananchi don’t  furnish us with information,” said Feleshi. According to him, the number of cases in courts has decreased significantly during his tenure.For example, he said, when he took office there were 2,000 cases at the Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court, but now the number doesn’t exceed 500. According to him, legal services and legal aid have increased during his tenure.“You can attest that currently it is very easy for someone to get legal services compared with let’s say, seven or 10 years ago,” he said. Speaking about his appointment, Dr Feleshi said he would use his legal knowledge to improve court services.