ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda Asks Gov't to Surrender Two Other Kenyans to The Hague
ICC Chief Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda has called on the Kenyan authorities to hand over two other Kenyan nationals wanted by The Hague-based court.
The two, Philip Kipkoech Bett and Walter Osapiri Barasa, are accused of interfering with witnesses in the Kenyan cases at the ICC.
Bensouda, who hailed the decision by lawyer Paul Gicheru to voluntarily surrender to the ICC on Monday, insisted that Gicheru acted alongside Bett and Barasa.
“I call on the Kenyan authorities to fulfill their obligations under the Rome Statute to ensure the surrender of the remaining two suspects to the custody of the Court, so that their guilt or innocence on the charges against them may be determined in a court of law,” Bensouda said in a statement.
The three are believed to have bribed or attempted to bribe six key prosecution witnesses by offering them bribes and other inducements so that they could recant their evidence and withdraw as witnesses.
“Interfering with the attendance or testimony of ICC witnesses, or retaliating against them are serious crimes under Article 70 of the Rome Statute,” Bensouda added.
The withdrawal of the cases led to the collapse of the criminal cases against Deputy President William Ruto and radio presenter Joshua Arap Sang.
“The integrity of witnesses is essential for the Court’s determination of the truth. Within its means and mandate, my Office is committed to investigating and prosecuting individuals who attempt to pervert the course of justice by interfering with ICC witnesses,” Bensouda noted.
The ICC issued warrants of arrest against the three in 2015.
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Comments (10)
Bensouda, wacha UJINGA..ask for UHURU,RUTO,RAILA...and also open a case against MOI and JOMO...these folks have caused alot of blood shed in Kenya.
Maybe I am wrong, hopefully this will help expose the kingpins of ethnic clashes and cleanse in Kenya.
And you know very well that Ruto, Sudi, Murkomen, kuria, and the Rift Valley killing squad are very worried about Gicheru presenting himself to the ICC! Gicheru’s appearance to The Hague could break a lot of characters with Ruto being the first one to fall!
@kanini - yes you are very wrong in your naive assumptions because the ethnic clashes and cleansing were started by Ruto back in 1992 during YK92 and he has continued to kill at will with a climax in 2007/8!
Leave madam Bensouda alone, she is doing her job! We need to get to this important matter resolved immediately! Ruto can present himself to The Hague for father questioning!
Can we surrender the two jubilee 2018 stars? Help us get rid of them.
Tell us, when are you arresting or calling for the surrender of the USA genocide or crimes against humanity suspects?
Worry about your own target @asista! You could be the next one that Bensouda will come looking for to answer some questions about using poisoned arrows to shoot kikuyu men who were then married to the kalenjin women. You ain’t all that clean and that is why you are running your damn mouth!
Do you have any proof of crimes against humanity committed by the US government? You can pass your evidence to the FBI for further investigations! They will even come for you in case they need you. That is how we roll in America.
The two accused persons know themselves and should surrender to the ICC! It is very important for the truth to be told about Ruto’s criminal involvement in 2007/8 skirmishes.
Barasa and Bett should do a very honorable thing and surrender to The Hague police just like Gicheru did!
The only thing the government of Kenya needs to do is to provide security to the two before they get killed like Yebei and many others by the DP Ruto squad!
Can ICC consider giving the three accused immunity do they can be free to spill the beans about Ruto and the reason he was bribing witnesses while killing other witnesses?
Gicheru should get some kind of break for volunteering himself to the ICC. We hope he will reveal everything that went on and his interactions with DP Ruto as he dealt with Barasa and Bett!
Bett and Barasa need to be secured and protected before they disappear like it has happened to several other witnesses. Ruto will stop at nothing to make sure the 2007/8 skirmishes cover is kept secret.