Kenyan Lawyer Paul Gicheru's Trial at ICC to Conclude on Monday

The trial of Kenyan lawyer Paul Gicheru at the International Criminal Court (ICC) is set to conclude on Monday, with both the prosecution and defense teams expected to make closing statements before Judge Maria Samba of Trial Chamber III.

Gicheru’s trial for crimes against the administration of justice consisting in corruptly influencing witnesses of the court commenced on February 15th, 2022 following the confirmation of his charges.

In July last year, the Pre-Trial Chamber ruled that there were substantial grounds to believe Gicheru Gicheru bribed, intimidated, or threatened eight prosecution witnesses in the case against Deputy President William Ruto and radio journalist Joshua Sang. The lawyer is said to have committed the offenses in Kenya between April 2013 and September 10th, 2015.

“Specifically, with relation to eight witnesses, Mr. Gicheru and other members of the common plan allegedly identified, located, and contacted the witnesses, offered and/or paid them financial or other benefits, and/or threatened or intimidated them, in order to induce them to withdraw as Prosecution witnesses, refuse to or cease cooperating with the Prosecution and/or the Court, and/or to recant the evidence which they had provided to the Prosecution,” the court said.

Gicheru surrendered himself to the Dutch authorities on November 2, 2020, five years after the ICC issued an arrest warrant against him and his co-suspect Philip Kipkoech Bett. The arrest warrant was issued in March 2015.