NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 6 — The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has concluded a week-long regional training aimed at bolstering Africa’s capacity to confront the fast-evolving world of blockchain and cryptocurrency-enabled crime.
The five-day Blockchain and Cryptocurrencies Crime Investigations Course, hosted at the National Criminal Investigations Academy (NCIA), brought together investigators from more than ten African countries for hands-on instruction in digital-asset forensics, tracing illicit transactions, and disrupting cross-border criminal networks exploiting virtual currencies.
“It equipped the detectives with advanced forensic techniques to develop practical strategies for combating cross-border illicit transactions,” the DCI said.
Presiding over the closing ceremony on Friday, Abdalla Komesha, Director of the Investigations Bureau at the DCI, said the programme had strengthened the region’s ability to tackle increasingly sophisticated digital-currency offences.
Specialised skills
Speaking on behalf of the Director of Criminal Investigations, he underscored the strategic importance of investing in specialised skills as criminal groups rapidly migrate to decentralised financial systems.
He also expressed Kenya’s appreciation to the European Union for funding and supporting the training, calling the partnership timely amid the rising incidence and complexity of crypto-related crimes across Africa.
NCIA Commandant Sospeter Munyi commended the participants for their commitment throughout the programme and urged them to apply their newly acquired technical expertise to strengthen investigations and elevate professional standards within their agencies.
The ceremony was attended by senior officials from the EU and regional security bodies, including Louis Dey, Programme Manager at the European Union; Col. Andrea Antonazzo, Organised Crime Key Expert under the EU Action Against Crime (EU-ACT); Dennis Wanyama, Regional Specialised Officer at the Eastern Africa Police Chiefs Cooperation Organisation (EAPCCO); Deputy Commandant NCIA Stephen Chacha; and the team of instructors led by Tom Nyabuti.
The DCI said the training marks a significant step in equipping African investigators with the expertise needed to navigate the opaque and rapidly shifting terrain of cryptocurrency-facilitated crime — an area increasingly exploited by money-laundering networks, fraudsters, and transnational criminal groups.
