Kenyan Lawyer Paul Gicheru Freed from ICC Detention

Kenyan lawyer, Paul Gicheru was on Monday released from the International Criminal Court (ICC) detention.

This comes after The Hague-based court on Friday granted his request for conditional release pending the hearing of the case against him.

ICC, through a statement on Monday, said Gicheru was released to Kenya with specific conditions restricting liberty, during the confirmation of charges proceedings against him at the court.  

The court set tough conditions for his release, including the provision of Sh1 million financial security to the ICC Registrar in form of cash or bank order.

He is also required to surrender himself immediately to the relevant authorities if required by the Chamber; reside in Kenya at an address that he has provided to the court for the duration of the proceedings; and provide the Registrar with copies of all passports, visas, identity documents, and any other travel documents issued to him.

He must also report once a week to the ICC Registrar, including through video conferencing technology, and ensure that his phone number remains active to be reachable at any time.

“In the event that Mr. Gicheru would fail to comply with any of the aforementioned conditions restricting liberty, the Chamber may declare the financial security provided by Mr. Gicheru forfeit to the Court, issue a warrant of arrest in respect of Mr. Gicheru at the request of the Prosecutor or on its own initiative pursuant to rule 119(4) of the Rules, and/or issue any other order it deems relevant in response to a failure to comply with these conditions,” pre-trial chamber Judge Reine Adélaïde Sophie Alapini-Gansou said.

Gicheru surrendered himself to the Dutch authorities on November 2nd, 2020, five years after the ICC issued a warrant of arrest against him.

He is suspected of offenses against the administration of justice consisting of corruptly influencing witnesses.

The lawyer is believed to have bribed or attempted to bribe six prosecution witnesses by offering them bribes and other inducements to recant their evidence and withdraw as witnesses. 

The withdrawal of the said witnesses led to the collapse of the criminal case against Deputy President William Ruto and radio journalist Joshua Arap Sang, who were being tried over the 2007/2008 post-election violence.