The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Renson Ingonga, has officially announced the closure of the investigation into Worldcoin, concluding that no criminal charges are warranted against the cryptocurrency company.
This development follows an extensive investigation led by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Serious Crime Unit, which found no evidence of illegal activity by Worldcoin.
In a letter dated June 14, 2024, the DCI informed Worldcoin’s legal representatives that the investigation file had been forwarded to the DPP for an independent review. The letter, signed by Hillary Kimutai, revealed that after careful examination, the DPP agreed with the DCI’s findings and directed the closure of the case with no further police action.
“The resultant investigation file was forwarded to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for an independent review and advice,” the letter stated. “Upon review of the file, the Director of Public Prosecutions concurred and directed that the file be closed with no further police action.”
The DCI’s investigation concluded that Worldcoin had not engaged in any unlawful activities concerning the use, storage, or transfer of personal data out of Kenya. However, the agency recommended that Worldcoin ensure proper business registration in collaboration with the Registrar of Companies and emphasized the need for thorough vetting and legal contracting of third-party vendors in Kenya.
The DCI also urged Worldcoin to obtain the necessary licenses from both the Office of the Data Protection Commission and the Communications Authority of Kenya to ensure compliance with local regulations.
Worldcoin’s operations were initially halted by Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki on August 2, 2023, amid concerns over the safety of collected biometric data. A special committee was established to investigate the matter, but its findings have yet to be presented in Parliament.
