Deputy President William Ruto’s defence
Friday claimed Interior PS Mutea Iringo and the President’s advisor on
political affairs Nancy Gitau recruited ICC witnesses to fix the DP.
The
two were alleged to have funded the witness protection programme, and
coordinated recruitment of witnesses to provide evidence to the Waki
Commission to implicate Mr Ruto and the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM)
party.
During cross examination of ICC witness P-0613,
Mr Ruto’s lawyer, Shyamala Alagendra, said there were systematic plans
to fix the DP in connection with the post-election violence by powerful
men in government. The lawyer said cash was given to fund the witness
protection programme.
Other people said to have
tampered with witnesses and evidence-gathering were former Justice
Minister and presidential aspirant Martha Karua, former MP Stephen
Tarus, human rights activists Maina Kiai and David Koross and PNU
activist in Rift Valley William Rono.
Mr Iringo is
alleged to have maintained close contact with Mr Rono in the 2009-2010
period, with the latter “acting as an agent for the Interior PS in
managing the Waki Commission and potential ICC witnesses.”
Ms
Alagendra said that Mr Iringo and Ms Gitau “gave money to the ICC
witness protection programme,” but the witness said she was not aware
and thought the money came from the Kenya National Commission for Human
Rights (KNCHR).
Ms Alagendra: Are you aware that money was given to witness protection programme by Mr Iringo and Ms Gitau?
Witness: No. I thought the money given to the programme came from KNHCR, not from someone’s pocket.
Lawyer: Are you aware Mr Rono worked with Mr Iringo and Ms Gitau to mobilise witnesses to falsely implicate Mr Ruto?
Witness: No. I didn’t hear about it.
Lawyer:
Are you aware that between 2009-2010, Mr Rono continued to be in close
contact with Mr Iringo with Mr Rono acting as an agent for Mr Iringo in
managing the Waki Commission and potential ICC witnesses?
Witness: No.
The
witness said Ms Karua, who was minister in Kibaki’s administration,
helped witnesses provide evidence to the Waki Commission, which was
being used by the ICC to prosecute post-poll violence perpetrators.
Mr
Koross is alleged to have received over $20,000 through his NGO Center
Against Torture, from the Swiss Embassy, with Mr Kiai acting as the
link. Mr Koross is also alleged to have put himself as a witness so as
to secure witness protection, Mr Ruto’s lawyer said.
Other
alleged witness funders include Human Rights Watch, the US Agency for
International Development (USaid), and the KNCHR, which got funding to
investigate the post-election chaos and came up with the report,
“Ballots to Bullets”
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