NAIROBI, Kenya, Apr 6 – International Criminal Court Prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo is now seeking tougher conditions against three of the six Kenyans summoned by the court over 2008 post election violence.
The Prosecutor on Wednesday filed a Motion seeking stricter conditions including a gag order, declaration of wealth and listing their addresses with the Registrar of the court.
Mr Ocampo is also asking the court to order that Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta, Head of Civil Service Francis Muthaura and Postmaster General Hussein Ali to deposit a bond commensurate with their wealth.
"I am seeking an order requiring Francis Kirimi Muthaura, Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta and Mohammed Hussein Ali to post bond in a sum to be determined by the Chamber, for the purpose of guaranteeing their appearances at the International Criminal Court,” Mr Ocampo said in his request.
Read the full application here.
He also wants the three top government officials in the Ocampo Six list to appear before the International Criminal Court every six months so that the court can verify if they have complied with the conditions set out.
Mr Ocampo is demanding that a warrant of arrest be issued against the suspects if they fail to meet the conditions or breach any of them.
"I want an order requiring Francis Kirimi Muthaura, Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta and Mohammed Hussein Ali to appear in person at the seat of the Court at least once in every six month period and certify before the Chamber, under oath, that he has complied in full," he said.
It is unclear what has prompted the Prosecutor to seek such tough conditions but experts say that the trio are facing the rules due to their position in the government.
Mr Ocampo had previously written to the government seeking clarification on the role of Mr Kenyatta and Mr Muthaura as relates to security organs of the government.
Mr Muthaura has been chairing the National Security Committee while Mr Kenyatta is a member of the Witness Protection Program both of which fall under them due to their positions as the Head of Civil Service and Finance Minister respectively.
But in reply, the government had written to the court informing it that the two officials had relinquished their posts and would no longer be involved in the running of those programs.
Four of the Ocampo Six suspects who travelled to The Hague to make an initial appearance at the International Criminal Court spent the better part of Wednesday familiarising themselves with rules and regulations of the court.
Former Police Commissioner Mohammed Hussein Ali who arrived in The Hague on Tuesday night was joined on Wednesday morning by Eldoret North MP William Ruto, his Tinderet counterpart Henry Kosgey and Kass FM presenter Joshua arap Sang who left the country on Tuesday night.
The Head of the Public Service was due to arrive in the Netherlands on Wednesday evening. While Mr Kenyatta was due to leave the country on Wednesday night.
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