Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Ali elated at verdict, but remains wary of Ocampo’s intentions



By CYRUS OMBATI

Former Commissioner of Police Maj-Gen (Rtd) Hussein Ali is a happy man.
This despite his assertion on Monday that it was too early for anyone to celebrate the decision to let him off the hook.
He said he would wait until today to hear what International Criminal Court Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo has to say.
"Let us wait until tomorrow (today) for us to know what he may say. Let us wait, please, but it is a good ruling," he said on the telephone.
He expressed satisfaction with the ruling, which he termed as good and fair.
Friends who flocked to a hotel where Ali was holed up in a meeting with his lawyers said he was elated when they got the ruling, almost 30 minutes before it was aired live on TV.
"He is just responding to many calls that are coming in. He is very happy but also unsure what Ocampo may be planning next," said a close ally.
ADDITIONAL EVIDENCE
Ali and his lawyers had been glued to their laptops while waiting for the ruling to be sent to them.
The ICC Pre-Trial Chamber judges said Ali was not a suspect anymore, but added that the prosecutor may present additional evidence against him seeking confirmation of charges.
Ocampo is expected to address the Press today at 3pm where it is believed he will appeal the ruling.
Presiding Judge Ekaterina Trendafilova said charges against Ali were not confirmed due to insufficient evidence.
Ali had remained out of the limelight since Ocampo named him as one of the six suspects in December 2010.
During the confirmation of charges hearings, his witness, Mr Peter Otieno, appeared uncertain when fielding questions from the prosecution, when he kept looking at Ali’s defence team as if seeking their assistance to answer questions.
Ali also presented head of investigation and former Rift Valley CID boss Mohamed Amin as his second witness.
The former police boss had a strong defence team comprising American lawyer Gregory Kehoe, who has represented former military generals in international tribunals; Gerishom Otachi, a defence counsel at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and Kenyan lawyer Evans Monari.
SECURITY MEASURES
Monari had travelled to The Hague last week to witness on Monday’s ruling.
Ali, who was at the helm of the country’s police force when Kenya slipped into chaos following the disputed 2007 presidential election, was accused of failing to put in place proper security measures at the time to safeguard the lives of more than 1,300 people who were killed.
Prior to his appointment to head the police in 2004, Ali served in the military where he held the rank of Brigadier.
He was promoted to Major General soon after his secondment to head the police.
Ali was born in 1956 in Eldoret and schooled at the Uasin Gishu School and later Korana Boys High School in Busia County.
He joined the Kenya Army in 1977 and rose through the ranks to become Brigadier in 2003 and Major General in 2005.
He has previously served as a military attachÈ in Zimbabwe and Uganda. He also commanded the Western Brigade of the Kenya Army Paratrooper Battalion and the Air Calvary regiment.
He argued that his role during post-election violence was a matter of public record and believed he acted professionally, diligently and in accordance with the law as did officers under his command in protecting lives and property against those who were bent on destruction.

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