Calls for Ruto arrest on claims of witness bribery

By David Ochami, Job Weru and Beutah Omanga
Kenya Muslim rights advocates want Eldoret North MP William Ruto arrested for allegedly trying to intimidate post-election violence witnesses.
They accused Mr Ruto of trying to hinder justice, and told him to "prepare his legal team" to go through possible indictment and "save us more fits of tantrums as we have had enough."
Led by the Muslim Human Rights Forum (MHRF) the advocates accused Ruto of using propaganda and twisted logic to frustrate and discredit the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) and Waki Commission reports on the mass murder of about 1,333 Kenyans following President Kibaki’s disputed reelection.
In a statement read at Nairobi’s Jamia Mosque, MHRF’s co-convener Farouk Machanje said Ruto’s "vitriol against KNCHR through propaganda" was intended to defeat witness protection in Kenya and intimidate witnesses to post-election violence.
Ruto has accused former KNCHR, now Kenya National Human Rights and Equality Commission’s Hassan Omar Hassan of coaching witnesses to implicate him in the violence.　

Eldoret North MP William Ruto (centre) and Mutito’s Kiema Kilonzo joined AIPCA Arch-bishop John Bapstista Mugecha at Tambaya for a harambee on Sunday. [PHOTO: GEORGE MULALA /STANDARD]

Paid to taint
The witnesses, William Kipkemboi Rono and Ken Braziz Wekesa, alleged they had been paid to tie Ruto to the violence, a claim Omar has denied.
But the suspended Higher Education Minister on Sunday upped pressure on the rights watchdog, asking the commissioners to step aside and pave the way for investigation.
Ruto, MPs Kiema Kilonzo and Moses Lessonet also called for the arrest Mr Omar and the two witnesses.
"Police should arrest KNHCR commissioners first. Why arrest students (witnesses) and leave their teachers free?" said Ruto at Muthinga AIPCK Church in Tetu, Nyeri County.
But the commission chair Florence Jaoko said there was no reason for the nine commissioners to step aside. Jaoko said now that Ruto had reported the matter to the CID, it should be prudent to let the sleuths do their part.
"It is unfortunate that an issue pending before the ICC is a subject of discussion at rallies. We should respect the law and let the evidence adduced be used to determine one’s culpability or innocence," said Jaoko.
Another member of the commission who spoke on condition of anonymity said they had advised Omar against any direct responses to Ruto’s camp saying, " we are standing together as a team".