ICC blocks Ruto from coming home

By Evelyn Kwamboka

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has rejected an application by Eldoret North MP William Ruto to be exempted from attending the whole proceedings for the confirmation of charges. Mr Ruto, who wanted to return home to attend to an “important personal matter” would now have to stay at The Hague for 12 days.

ICC spokesman Faadi El-Abdalla said the Pre-Trial Chamber under Lady Justice Ekaterina Trendafilova made the decision. Ruto left on Tuesday for the hearing.

“Only Ruto had made the application. The other two have not filed anything,” he told The Standard.

Ruto wanted the court to waive his right to be present at the whole hearing. The MP’s lawyers will Thursday from 3.30pm Kenyan time begin making submissions at the confirmation of charges hearing.

The lawyers are expected to first give their observations on admissibility, jurisdiction, and procedural matters before the ICC Prosecutor Louis Moreno-Ocampo presents his evidence.

They have been preparing for the last five months to challenge Moreno-Ocampo’s evidence against their client to free them from allegations of crimes against humanity.

It is on this third day that Moreno-Ocampo is expected to tell the court how Ruto, Tinderet MP Henry Kosgey, and radio presenter Joshua arap Sang are liable for the alleged crimes committed in Rift Valley.

The suspects’ evidence will start coming on September 3 at 7.30pm, when Ruto’s first witness takes the stand.

Kenyans will have a chance to hear the witness’s evidence. The witness along with others are expected to use pseudonyms or codes for security purposes.

ICC spokesman said the court session would be open unless ordered otherwise.

“The proceedings can be followed with a 30 minute delay,” he said. The 30 minutes delay is to enable the court to edit confidential information such as a witness’s identity.

From September 6, hearing on confirmation of charges against Kosgey will kick off, as Sang’s team prepares to take the stand from September 9 to 10. Moreno-Ocampo will question the defence witnesses.