PHOTO | FILE Uhuru Kenyatta arrives at the International Criminal Court at The Hague. The ICC prosecution team intends to use satellite images as part of its evidence against President Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto. NATION MEDIA GROUP
By NATION REPORTER newsdesk@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted Sunday, April 14 2013 at 23:30
Posted Sunday, April 14 2013 at 23:30
IN SUMMARY
- Prosecutor intends to use pictures in the case against Uhuru and Ruto
The ICC prosecution team intends to use satellite images as part of its evidence against President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto, who are facing charges of crimes against humanity.
In a report to the Trial Chamber V judges handling the case facing the two, chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda is seeking permission to call an expert to analyse satellite images captured during the post-election violence period in 2007-2008.
Kenyans fought each other over the disputed 2007 presidential election results. The chaos led to the death of 1,133 people and displacement of 650,000 others.
The prosecution has maintained that the violence was planned, a claim that has been dismissed as untrue by the defence teams for Mr Kenyatta and Mr Ruto.
The trial of President Kenyatta begins on July 9, while that of Mr Ruto commences on May 28. Radio journalist Joshua arap Sang is the third Kenyan facing trial at The Hague.
Recently, the court withdrew charges against former head of Civil Service Francis Muthauraafter the chief prosecutor said her office had no choice because most of the witnesses who would have supported the case had died or had been killed, while others were too afraid to testify.
In addition, Ms Bensouda said a key witness — referred to as Witness Four — had been dropped after he recanted a crucial part of his evidence, and admitted that he had accepted bribes.
Lawyers representing President Kenyatta have asked the court to either drop the charges against him or refer the case back to the Pre-Trial Chamber since the case against their client’s co-accused, Mr Muthaura, had been dropped.
The ICC has conceded that the Kenyan case is unique given the fact that the court will no longer be prosecuting ordinary men but the country’s most powerful men democratically elected by Kenyans.
Produce report
Ms Bensouda said the prosecution had instructed Mr Lars Bromley, a principal analyst and research adviser on human rights and security, to produce a report on the satellite images of specified areas in Nairobi and Nakuru.
“Mr Bromley will analyse and explain the satellite image that was available to describe the type and status of physical objects and/or activities, if any, that can be discerned in the images,” says Ms Bensouda in a report.
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