Attorney General Amos Wako (right) arrives at the International Criminal Court building at The Hague, Netherlands April 7, 2011. He has has directed Police Commissioner Mathew Iteere to speed up investigations into 3,500 post election violence cases. JOAN PERERUAN
By ERIC SHIMOLI, The Hague
Posted Saturday, April 9 2011 at 12:34
Posted Saturday, April 9 2011 at 12:34
Kenya's Attorney General Amos Wako has directed Police Commissioner Mathew Iteere to speed up investigations into 3,500 post election violence cases.
He also called for expedited reforms in the Judiciary and the police to give Kenya any chance of success in challenging the admissibility of the Ocampo Six cases at the International Criminal Court.
The AG held meetings with top ICC officials and emerged announce the steps which must be taken if the suspects are to face local trials.
Mr Wako, solicitor general Wanjuki Muchemi and chief public prosecutor Tobiko Keriako met the court Vice President, Chief Prosecutor Loius Moreno-Ocampo and Registrar Silvana Arbia.
"In dealing with post election violence absolute priority must be given to the interest of bereaved and all other victims," the AG said.
He added: "It is critical for success of our admissibility challenge that the time of the hearing of such challenge, we demonstrate that there are serious on going investigations into crimes arising out of the post election violence and that those shown to have committed such crimes are held accountable through prosecutions."
The AG warned the six suspects to heed the warning of the court on commenting on the proceedings.
"As the judicial process before the ICC has now formally commenced, I would advise and caution that utmost restraint be exercised by all including the parties directly or indirectly concerned in commenting on the issues which are before the court," he said.
Presiding judge Ekaterina Trendafilova had said comments deemed to be dangerous would constitute violation of conditions for the suspects remaining free and prompt issuing of arrest warrants.
Mr Wako appealed for unity in implementing the new constitution, naming new officers to constitutional offices and toning down divisive talk.
Kenya and the ICC were now working on possibilities of reforming and modernizing the criminal investigations department, courts and prisons systems, said Mr Wako.
The ICC was considering providing technical assistance to Kenya for effective and efficient witness and victim protection programmes.
Discussions were underway on possible sharing and exchange of material and information on investigations.
Mr Wako was addressing a news conference at the Kenyan embassy in The Hague together with two British lawyers, Sir Geoffrey Nice and Rodney Dixon, who have been recruited to represent the government in an application to have cases against six Kenyan suspects transferred back to Nairobi.
The six are Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta, Civil Service boss Francis Muthaura, postmaster general Hussein Ali, MPs William Ruto, Henry Kosgey and radio presenter Joshua Sang. They made initial appearance before the ICC on Thursday and Friday.
Mr Wako was speaking only a day after another door was shut on Kenya's attempts to have the cases returned to Nairobi. The matter stalled when the UN security council removed it from the agenda on account that there was no agreement among members.
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