The petition by Pokot South MP David Pkosing has already been signed by 187 legislators and is calling for the case against DP William Ruto and journalist Joshua Arap Sang halted and witnesses recruitment process investigated.
NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 16 – The Foreign Affairs Ministry has received a petition asking the Assembly of States Parties (ASP) to institute investigations into alleged procurement and coaching of ICC witnesses.
The petition by Pokot South MP David Pkosing has already been signed by 187 legislators and is calling for the case against DP William Ruto and journalist Joshua Arap Sang halted and witnesses recruitment process investigated.
The legislators want the president of the ASP to appoint an independent mechanism to audit the process used by the prosecutor to identify witnesses.
“Enclosed, please find the original petition and certified copies in respect of prayers by Members of Parliament of the Republic of Kenya to United Nations and the President of the Assembly of States Parties (ASP) of the Rome Statute regarding the appointment of an independent mechanism to audit the Prosecutors’ witness identification and recruitment process in the case of the Prosecutor V. William Samoei Ruto and Joshua Arap Sang and suspend the case against the two while awaiting determination of this independent audit,” the petition stated.
They also want the body formed to determine the impartiality of the process and look at the current allegations and revelations of procuring and coaching witnesses.
“Kindly and expeditiously forward the petition to the President of the Assembly of States Parties and the United Nations and secure an appointment with these institutions for physical presentation by the petitioner,” it stated.
Gatundu South Member of Parliament Moses Kuria had alleged that he was involved in coaching witnesses alongside NARC Kenya chairperson Martha Karua for the case Ruto and Sang.
Martha Karua was the justice minister in former President Mwai Kibaki’s Cabinet.
Kuria later produced a letter apparently indicating that Kisumu Senator Anyang Nyong’o wrote to the UN parties giving reasons why the ICC cases should not be deferred t oany other court.
The Director of Public Prosecutions Keriako Tobiko has since ordered police to conduct speedy investigations into the witness coaching claims by Kuria.
Ruto is the only top politicians who still faces crime against humanity charges at the Hague-based court after President Uhuru Kenyatta’s charges were dropped for lack of sufficient evidence.
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