Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Ocampo 4 trial dates to be known next week


Joshua arap Sang told Capital FM News that he will travel on Saturday together with his three lawyers/FILE
NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 5 – The four Kenyans accused of crimes at the International Criminal Court (ICC) were on Tuesday getting ready to travel to The Hague for the status conference to be held next Monday and Tuesday.
Joshua arap Sang told Capital FM News that he will travel on Saturday together with his three lawyers.
“We are waiting for the visas. I am going Saturday. We are going with my three lawyers Philemon Koech, Joel Bosek and Katwa Kigen,” he asserted.
William Ruto’s lawyer Kioko Kilukumi said together with the rest of his team will also travel to The Hague to attend Monday’s conference which will determine trial dates for the suspects. However he did not confirm if he his client will travel to Netherlands for the conference or not.
“On 11th definitely we will be there. I applied for a visa, God willing everything will go as per our plan,” he said.
The two who will attend their conference on Monday confirmed to Capital FM News that they had applied for their visas and were waiting for the clearance from the Dutch Embassy.
Ken Ogetto who is part of a legal team representing former Head of the Civil Service Francis Muthaura is also set to leave for The Hague this Saturday, in time for the status conference for Case II which will be held on Tuesday.
“I am finalising plans and I will be leaving this Saturday. Everything is set. There is no problem at all,” Ogetto said.
Sources have told Capital FM News that lawyers of Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta are also finalising travel arrangements but it is not clear if Kenyatta and Muthaura will attend the status conference.
The ICC has previously clarified that it is not mandatory for the suspects to make appearances in The Hague during the status conference as long as they have legal representation.
The defence teams, the prosecution, victims’ legal representatives and the registry have made their submissions to the Trial Chamber V as requested.
Apart from setting the date of trials, the status conference will also set the timelines and format of disclosing evidence including witnesses that will require protection.
The prosecution indicated it will require one year to present its evidence while defence teams of Ruto and Sang said they will require each four months to prepare for their defence after.
Kenyatta and Muthaura did not give any time estimates they will require explaining that it depended on the evidence that will be presented against them.

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