KENYA: ICC prosecutor says Kenya delaying evidence, warns of witness intimidation

Record ID: 362395

  • Title: KENYA: ICC prosecutor says Kenya delaying evidence, warns of witness intimidation
  • Date: 25th October 2012
  • Summary: NAIROBI, KENYA (FILE ) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS FLEEING FROM A CLOUD OF TEAR GAS MORE OF POLICE LOBBING TEAR GAS CANISTERS AT PROTESTERS ELDORET, KENYA (FILE) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF AN INTERNALLY DISPLACED PEOPLE'S CAMP
  • Embargoed: 9th November 2012 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Kenya
  • Country: Kenya
  • Topics: International Relations,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA44BJP0GE9AE5AJ421VN2P0H38
  • Story Text: The International Criminal Court chief prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda on Thursday October 26, said that the cases against the four Kenyans accused of being behind the violence in the country in 2008 are set to proceed at the Hague.
    The four - deputy prime minister Uhuru Kenyatta, former head of the civil service Francis Muthaura, opposition MP William Ruto and journalist Joshua Arap Sang, face various charges of crimes against humanity including rape and forcible displacement of populations.
    Bensouda was addressing the media in Nairobi after returning from Nakuru in Kenya's Rift Valley province where she visited Kenyans displaced from their homes since the disputed 2007 election results were announced and violence broke out in the region.
    Some of the displaced expressed their frustration of living in camps since 2008.
    Earier on Wednesday she met President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga to seek assurances that requests for information from her office were being delayed thus frustrating investigations.
    "I met with President Kibaki and Prime Minister Odinga, I conveyed my Office's concerns regarding delays in the Government's response to a number of Office of the Prosecutor requests related to our investigations. They assured me of their willingness to ensure timely and effective execution of the pending requests." said Bensouda at the news conference.
    Bensouda also warned anyone inttimidating or bribing witnesses to change their testimony or not to testify that the court would deal with them. There have been reports of witnesses refusing to testify against the four accused.
    "You have heard my office many times putting on notice anyone who attempts to bribe, threaten or intimidate office of the prosecutor's witnesses. Those who attempt to pervert justice by instilling fear or paying off witnesses to stay quiet, are criminals. We will not hesitate to investigate and prosecute them." said Bensouda.
    On Thursday, the ICC prosecutor and her delegation are set to visit another Rift Valley town that was the epicenter of the violence. She is expected to meet residents of Eldoret and the Kiambaa church where more than a dozen women seeking shelter were burnt to death by rampaging youths.
    Bensouda also denied that the ICC was after certain individuals, adding that the court wanted to see justice done.
    "This is not a case about political responsibility. It is not a case of targeting certain communities. It is about individual criminal responsibility." said Bensouda.
    More than 1200 people were killed in the violence that pitted supporters of president Kibaki's Party of National Unity (PNU) and Prime Minister Odinga's Orange Democratic Movement (ODM). An estimated 300,000 people were displaced some whom are still living in tattered shelters in temporary camps, almost five years later.
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