PHOTO | FILE ICC judges leave the Trial Chamber after hearing the cases facing Deputy President William Ruto and former broadcaster Joshua arap Sang on September 11, 2013. NATION MEIDA GROUP
In Summary
The witness recalled that ODM supporters had pounced on a young man who was found wearing a PNU campaign T-shirt
The witness said that the rally had been well-publicised in vernacular radio stations, mainly Kass FM
By Walter Menya
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Deputy President William Ruto was on Tuesday accused of using abusive words at 2007 ODM rallies to rebuke supporters of former president Mwai Kibaki, including retired president Daniel arap Moi.
The sixth prosecution witness 268 said Mr Ruto described supporters of President Kibaki as “witches” in the run-up to the General Election at a rally in Kapsabet’s Kipchoge Keino Stadium on December 5, 2007.
“I cannot remember everything he said but basically I can remember the part he spoke in the Kalenjin language and chided Moi for supporting Kibaki and said whoever supported Kibaki is a witch,” said the witness, who was testifying for the second day.
The witness recalled that the region, particularly the venue of the rally, was a “no go zone” for PNU supporters and those who had defected from ODM were not welcome.
He said supporters of then ODM nominee for the Emgwen parliamentary seat Elijah Lagat had engaged in running battles with supporters of his opponent, Mr Alex Kosgey, the son of ODM chairman Henry Kosgey.
The junior Kosgey, said the witness, had defected from ODM after losing in the party nominations to Mr Lagat and was not welcome to attend an ODM rally.
He also recalled that in the morning, ODM supporters had pounced on a young man who was found wearing a PNU campaign T-shirt.
“I remember an isolated incident involving a young person in a PNU T-shirt. He was beaten and his T-shirt was torn,” the witness said.
His testimony was delivered in intermittent private sessions.
Before the witness took the stand on Monday, the prosecution had applied for him to give his entire testimony in private or closed session but was overruled by the Trial Chamber V (a).
The chamber, however, allowed the witness to testify with in-court protective measures that included image pixilation, voice distortion, use of pseudonyms and use of private sessions to discuss the background or identifying information about the witness.
WELL-PUBLICISED
The witness said that the rally had been well-publicised in vernacular radio stations, mainly Kass FM, where Mr Ruto’s co-accused Joshua Sang was employed at the time.
Apart from the vernacular radio stations, the organisers of the rally were also going around the area in a car mounted with loudspeakers, asking people to come out and attend the rally.
Kass FM also broadcast the rally live, according to the witness.
“In fact, the rally was live on Kass FM and many major stations,” he said.
Among those present at the rally, the witness said, were ODM second-in-command Musalia Mudavadi, Emgwen parliamentary nominee for ODM Elijah Lagat, former MP John Koech, ODM chairman Henry Kosgey and his son, Alex.
“People started thronging the stadium at around 11 in the morning but the main speakers came later,” the witness said in his examination-in-chief by trial lawyer Lucio Garcia.
The witness said Mr Ruto had arrived at the rally in a helicopter.
Prosecution: Can you tell us how many people attended the rally?
Witness: There were many people. Thousands attended. It was for drumming up support for the ODM party since elections were approaching.
Prosecution: Was there any publicity done before the rally?
Witness: Yes, your honour, there were vernacular stations that publicised the rally and a car which was going round.
Prosecution: Which vernacular stations can you remember?
Witness: Kass FM.
Prosecution: Can you tell us about the presenter who was doing the publicity in Kass FM you mentioned?
Witness: I can’t tell exactly.
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