Bensouda who spoke to some of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) when she toured the Pipeline IDP camp in Nakuru assured them that although she will not be in Kenya often her investigators are busy carrying their task to ensure that justice prevails.
“You may not see me here every time, but ICC people are here working. We are trying as best as we can to ensure there is justice. Impunity should not reign in Kenya,” she pledged in her interactions with the IDPs who were displaced during the 2008 violence.
She assured them that their concerns, including discrediting of witnesses lined up at the trial will be passed over to the judges hearing the Kenyan cases.
Earlier, some of the IDPs had discredited ICC witnesses and put pressure on Bensouda to explain why they have not been revealed to them.
“We don’t know the witnesses, why haven’t we seen Moreno Ocampo (former Prosecutor) come to ask us for the evidence? We are wondering who the ICC witnesses are,” one of the displaced persons decried.
After several complaints by many other IDPs over witnesses, Bensouda explained to them that the court cannot reveal the identity of the witnesses for the sake of their safety. She also assured them that the court was thorough in its investigations guided by the principles of independence and quest for justice for the victims.
Bensouda at some point intervened and asked IDP’s to be allowed to speak randomly to allow those not included in an initial list to also voice their views.
Another victim who sadly recounted the attack that left her house burnt down and her leg broken lashed her anger to the government for failing to investigate and charge other perpetrators.
“I know who burnt my house, they broke my leg, I know them and I can tell the government who they are, why hasn’t the government done anything?” she queried.
Bensouda who noted that it is the role of the government to deal with other perpetrators acknowledged that the government is already reviewing 6,500 cases of the post election violence.
Most of the IDPs who appreciated Bensouda’s visit urged her to ensure that the court gathers evidence to ensure financiers of the violence face justice.
Bensouda is on Friday expected to tour Eldoret before winding up her 5-day visit to Kenya.