The defence team of Deputy President William Ruto got a boost after a lawyer who formerly worked with the prosecution team at the International Criminal Court joined Ruto’s defence team. Shyamala Alagendra who formerly worked in the ICC’s prosecution office and her sister Venkateswari Alagendra have now joined Ruto’s team as associate counsels.
Trial Chamber V in which Ruto’s case is to be heard was last week informed through the registry that Shyamala and Venkateswari had joined the defence team led by Karim Khan who had taken over as lead counsel.
Karim Khan and Shyamala Alagendra were part of the defence team that represented former head of the civil service, Francis Muthaura who was also facing charges at the ICC over alleged involvement in the organising of retaliatory attacks in Rift Valley at the height of the 2007 – 2008 post election violence.
Venkateswari was also working for the Muthaura team but at the time outside the court. Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda earlier this year dropped Muthaura’s case arguing that it was no longer viable.
Ruto’s defence team is now composed of Khan, Shyamala, Venkateswari, David Hooper and Kioko Kilukumi. Ruto’s case was to start start week, but has been been put off pending a determination by the judges on his application to have it postponed to November.
The deputy president had further requested to be allowed not to always be in court and have the option of attending via video-link so as to strike a balance between his state duties and the case.
Former ICC lawyer joins Ruto defence team
The defence team of Deputy President William Ruto got a boost after a lawyer who formerly worked with the prosecution team at the International Criminal Court joined Ruto’s defence team.
Shyamala Alagendra who formerly worked in the ICC’s prosecution office and her sister Venkateswari Alagendra have now joined Ruto’s team as associate counsels.
Trial Chamber V in which Ruto’s case is to be heard was last week informed through the registry that Shyamala and Venkateswari had joined the defence team led by Karim Khan who had taken over as lead counsel.
Karim Khan and Shyamala Alagendra were part of the defence team that represented former head of the civil service, Francis Muthaura who was also facing charges at the ICC over alleged involvement in the organising of retaliatory attacks in Rift Valley at the height of the 2007 – 2008 post election violence.
Venkateswari was also working for the Muthaura team but at the time outside the court. Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda earlier this year dropped Muthaura’s case arguing that it was no longer viable.
Ruto’s defence team is now composed of Khan, Shyamala, Venkateswari, David Hooper and Kioko Kilukumi.
Ruto’s case was to start start week, but has been been put off pending a determination by the judges on his application to have it postponed to November.
The deputy president had further requested to be allowed not to always be in court and have the option of attending via video-link so as to strike a balance between his state duties and the case.
The defence team of Deputy President William Ruto got a boost after a lawyer who formerly worked with the prosecution team at the International Criminal Court joined Ruto’s defence team.
Shyamala Alagendra who formerly worked in the ICC’s prosecution office and her sister Venkateswari Alagendra have now joined Ruto’s team as associate counsels.
Trial Chamber V in which Ruto’s case is to be heard was last week informed through the registry that Shyamala and Venkateswari had joined the defence team led by Karim Khan who had taken over as lead counsel.
Karim Khan and Shyamala Alagendra were part of the defence team that represented former head of the civil service, Francis Muthaura who was also facing charges at the ICC over alleged involvement in the organising of retaliatory attacks in Rift Valley at the height of the 2007 – 2008 post election violence.
Venkateswari was also working for the Muthaura team but at the time outside the court. Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda earlier this year dropped Muthaura’s case arguing that it was no longer viable.
Ruto’s defence team is now composed of Khan, Shyamala, Venkateswari, David Hooper and Kioko Kilukumi.
Ruto’s case was to start start week, but has been been put off pending a determination by the judges on his application to have it postponed to November.
The deputy president had further requested to be allowed not to always be in court and have the option of attending via video-link so as to strike a balance between his state duties and the case.
Source:the-star.co.ke
