Mr Joshua Sang on the first day of the trial. PHOTO/FILE
In Summary
Like a traditional village crier who carried a rustic drum calling the public to attention, the prosecutor claims that Mr Sang allowed his radio programme, Le Ne Emet, to be used to spread hate messages against the Kikuyu, Kambas and Kisiis.
The ICC prosecutor said: “Joshua Sang was a key collaborator and the media spokesperson, using his influence to create an atmosphere of hate in order to incite the violence. He assisted in its planning, implementation and coordination.”
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Radio journalist Joshua arap Sang is in the dock at The Hague for spreading hate messages and false news in the lead up and during the 2007/8 post- election violence in Eldoret Town and surroundings.
Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda, told the court that Mr Sang allowed a network of individuals recruited by Deputy President William Ruto to attack non-Kalenjins in the Rift Valley using his radio programmes on Kass FM.
Like a traditional village crier who carried a rustic drum calling the public to attention, the prosecutor claims that Mr Sang allowed his radio programme, Le Ne Emet, to be used to spread hate messages against the Kikuyu, Kambas and Kisiis.
She argues that Mr Sang also coordinated activities of the network through his programme and helped coordinate the attacks by the Kalenjin youth through coded messages.
“The main mouth-piece used by Mr Ruto to spread his message, was his co-accused Joshua arap Sang, who placed his prime-time radio show at the disposal of the Network to spread their message and coordinate their activities,” she said. Mr Ruto and Mr Sang face charges of crimes against humanity arising from the post election violence of 20-0/8. They have both pleaded not guilty saying the charges are based on propaganda and hearsay.
The ICC prosecutor said: “Joshua Sang was a key collaborator and the media spokesperson, using his influence to create an atmosphere of hate in order to incite the violence. He assisted in its planning, implementation and coordination.”
She submitted that investigations have shown that Mr Sang broadcast anti-Kikuyu messages, spread the work of Mr Ruto and members of the Network and sent coded messages to help in the attacks.
The prosecution argues that the broadcaster used Kass FM to sway public opinion in favour of the Network led by Mr Ruto.
“Kass FM had the political objective of putting Kalenjin politicians into power. In the build-up to the 2007 elections Sang continuously implored listeners to vote ODM and to unite behind Ruto as the leader who would restore the Kalenjins to a position of prominence in Kenya,” the prosecutor asserts.
He did so by promoting and advertising rallies and meetings by members of the Network. Very often, he directed the perpetrators to locations in Yamumbi, Huruma, Langas, Kimumu and Kiambaa populated with non-Kalenjins, she told the court.
Ms Bensouda advances that Mr Sang fanned violence when President Mwai Kibaki was declare the winner of the December 2007 elections by telling Kalenjins that if they failed to go to war, they will suffer under the Kibaki administration.
“After Kibaki was announced as the winner, Sang broadcast that Kibaki had rigged the election. Kikuyu were the enemy, and that the Kalenjin now had to fight to reclaim what had been stolen,” the prosecution stated.
And when the violence started, Ms Bensouda argued that Mr Sang monitored the violence, giving timely updates, instructing the youths to fight and telling them where to go. “Sang instructed listeners to burn properties in Eldoret belonging to non-Kalenjins by saying, ‘let’s not destroy our own,’” she said.
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