Dp Ruto criticizes case a stone-throw away from ICC trial chamber
Deputy President William Ruto Tuesday escalated the Kenyan onslaught on the International Criminal Court ( ICC) by attacking the prosecution case from a venue a stone-throw away from the trial chamber.
Ruto called a press conference and announced that Kenya has formally made an application to the United Nations Security Council seeking the deferral of the cases against him and President Uhuru Kenyatta.
This is following Saturday’s African Union resolution urging the Security Council to suspend the trial of the Kenyan leaders at the ICC.
Prosecution failed
Ruto called for the termination of the case against him, saying the prosecution had failed miserably in its investigations.
He addressed the press at Movenpick Hotel, a short distance from the ICC building, when the court rose for the lunch break. He sat through the afternoon session after the press conference.
The Deputy President said the ICC stance on the conduct of their cases had forced them to seek the UN intervention.
The prosecution, he claimed, has been buying, bribing and manipulating witnesses to incriminate them in the violence that followed the disputed 2007 presidential vote.
“It’s abundantly clear to us and that’s why we have filed several applications that this case as it runs should be terminated. The prosecution has failed miserably in its responsibility to discharge the mandate assigned to them under the Rome Statute,” Ruto said.
The position mirrored the application by President Uhuru last week urging the stoppage of his trial, due to start on November 12, citing illegal conduct by the prosecution.
The President’s lawyers claimed the prosecution and its emissaries had bribed witnesses to give favourable testimony, fabricated evidence and tampered with possible defence witnesses.-standardmedia.co.ke
