Monday, January 23, 2012

Kenyan suspects to appeal against ICC ruling

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A screen shot of Judge Ekatirina Trandafilova as she delivered the joint ruling of ICC Pre-trial judges that confirmed charges on four out of six Kenyan suspects. PHOTO I  WILLIAM OERI.
A screen shot of Judge Ekatirina Trandafilova as she delivered the joint ruling of ICC Pre-trial judges that confirmed charges on four out of six Kenyan suspects. PHOTO I WILLIAM OERI. 
By XINHUA
Posted  Monday, January 23  2012 at  18:32

Two of Kenyan suspects whose charges were confirmed on Monday by the International Criminal Court (ICC)'s Pre-Trial Chamber said they will swiftly appeal against the ruling which they termed as "strange."
Addressing a joint press conference in Nairobi after Pre-trial Judge Ekaterina Trendafilova ruled that there is sufficient evidence to try them at the Hague, William Ruto and Joshua Sang said they disagreed with the ICC ruling and expressed confidence the appeal court will vindicate them.
"The charges are strange to me. My lawyers will appeal expeditiously after analyzing the content of the ruling. The devil will be defeated. My faith is firmly rooted in God," Mr Ruto told journalists in Nairobi.
The former minister who has traversed the country popularizing his candidature for this year's or early next year's elections also said he was firmly in the presidential race.
"I want to inform Kenyans that I'm firmly in the presidential race. To my worthy competitors, let us meet at the ballot and let the people of Kenya decide," Ruto said.
"To my family especially wife Rachel, mother Sarah and children I am eternally grateful. I am persuaded and clear in my mind truth will prevail and innocence confirmed," he added.
Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta also released statement on Monday evening insisting on his innocence in the face of the charges.
"I would like to reiterate before the people of Kenya and before the entire world, that my conscience is clear, has been clear and will always remain clear that I am innocent of all the accusations that have been leveled against me. I have cooperated with the ICC throughout the process and will continue to do so because I believe in the rule of law.
"Fellow Kenyans, as I have gone through this process, it has been abundantly clear to me that this trial has not been just about the individuals charged at the ICC. This trial has been about more. This trial has been about a country trying to come to terms with itself and its past - a country that is picking up the broken pieces from this dark period," Uhuru said in the statement.
Mr Ruto and Mr Sang, who are accused of organizing attacks on members of ethnic groups seen as incumbent President Mwai Kibaki supporters, backed then opposition presidential candidate Raila Odinga in the 2007 presidential polls.
Kibaki was hurriedly declared the winner of the 2007 disputed election, and is serving his second term as president.
The ICC Pre-trial Judges had earlier on Monday confirmed charges against four of the six Kenyan suspects believed to have played the biggest role in the 2007/08 post-election violence that took the country to the precipice of civil war.
The judges confirmed charges against Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta, Eldoret former Higher Education Minister Ruto, Head of Civil Service Francis Muthaura and journalist Sang.
The ICC said the prosecution provided sufficient evidence to show that Muthaura, Uhuru, Ruto and Sang are criminally responsible for crimes committed in Kenya and should be committed to a full trial.
However, charges against suspended Industrialization Minister Henry Kosgey and former Police Commissioner Hussein Ali were not confirmed after the Judges found insufficient grounds for sustaining the charges against them.
Reacting to the ruling, Sang said he did not expect the world court to confirm charges against him and expressed optimism the ICC appeals chamber will clear him of the charges.
"The court has spoken. I totally disagree with its findings. May God bless my efforts to prove my innocence," said Sang who is popularly known by his radio fans, presents a breakfast show called "Lene Emet" (Kalenjin for what is the world saying).
The prosecutor claimed that Sang used his radio program to collect supporters and provide signals to members of the plan on when and where to attack.
Sang was a shock inclusion in the list of six suspects that was released by ICC prosecutor Louis Moreno Ocampo, a list which included three powerful politicians and two State employees.
Sang, a father of two who is neither a politician nor a state agent was hardly known at the time outside the audience of his early morning show. His profile has however been heightened with the ICC process with the name Sang becoming a household name all over the country.

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