Suspended minister Henry Kosgey on Monday adopted an independent approach to defend himself against claims of masterminding the post-election violence.
His lawyer used Mondays hearing to try and demonstrate that Mr Kosgey did not have any links with KASS FM, which is alleged to have broadcast hate messages.
Mr George Oraro told the court that the radio station covered the Tinderet MP negatively, citing an instance where his supporters protested at some of the stations news bulletins.
Unlike his fellow suspects William Ruto and Joshua Sang, he gave up the right to call witnesses, saying he would rely on his lawyers submissions.
And also unlike Mr Sang, whose defence was weaved into that of Mr Ruto, such as explaining where Mr Ruto was on a certain day to prove that he could not have hosted the radio presenter, Mr Kosgey seems to have taken a distinctively independent path.
In extensive presentations, Mr Kosgey sought to provide alibi for the days he is alleged to have been in meetings that plotted the attacks on Kikuyu, Kisii and Kamba families in the province.
For instance, he said he was campaigning for ODM in Nyanza Province with party leader Raila Odinga and secretary-general Anyang Nyongo on December 14, 2007, when he was alleged to have been attended a militia planning meeting.
He accused Hague prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo of relying on a single anonymous witness to implicate him in the post-election violence. He termed the prosecutors Witness Number Six as unreliable.
The MPs lawyer also asked to be heard in camera five times in three hours to present crucial documents.
Mr Oraro said the prosecution had failed to get more witnesses to corroborate the claims. He challenged Mr Moreno-Ocampo to prove that his client exercised control over the so-called perpetrators of the chaos that killed 1,133 people and displaced 650,000 others.
The prosecutor must also prove that Mr Kosgey had the knowledge of a so-called common plan that included murders, persecution and deportations, Mr Oraro told the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Mr Oraro asked the court to listen to the defence on the allegation of using Kass FM to spread hate messages in private as he had confidential documents to disclose.
Shortly after, Mr Kosgey asked the Chamber to hear him in private.
After the second private session, Mr Oraro said the prosecution had failed to link his client to the Emo Foundation, which has been accused of funding the chaos.
His lawyer used Mondays hearing to try and demonstrate that Mr Kosgey did not have any links with KASS FM, which is alleged to have broadcast hate messages.
Mr George Oraro told the court that the radio station covered the Tinderet MP negatively, citing an instance where his supporters protested at some of the stations news bulletins.
Unlike his fellow suspects William Ruto and Joshua Sang, he gave up the right to call witnesses, saying he would rely on his lawyers submissions.
And also unlike Mr Sang, whose defence was weaved into that of Mr Ruto, such as explaining where Mr Ruto was on a certain day to prove that he could not have hosted the radio presenter, Mr Kosgey seems to have taken a distinctively independent path.
In extensive presentations, Mr Kosgey sought to provide alibi for the days he is alleged to have been in meetings that plotted the attacks on Kikuyu, Kisii and Kamba families in the province.
For instance, he said he was campaigning for ODM in Nyanza Province with party leader Raila Odinga and secretary-general Anyang Nyongo on December 14, 2007, when he was alleged to have been attended a militia planning meeting.
He accused Hague prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo of relying on a single anonymous witness to implicate him in the post-election violence. He termed the prosecutors Witness Number Six as unreliable.
The MPs lawyer also asked to be heard in camera five times in three hours to present crucial documents.
Mr Oraro said the prosecution had failed to get more witnesses to corroborate the claims. He challenged Mr Moreno-Ocampo to prove that his client exercised control over the so-called perpetrators of the chaos that killed 1,133 people and displaced 650,000 others.
The prosecutor must also prove that Mr Kosgey had the knowledge of a so-called common plan that included murders, persecution and deportations, Mr Oraro told the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Mr Oraro asked the court to listen to the defence on the allegation of using Kass FM to spread hate messages in private as he had confidential documents to disclose.
Shortly after, Mr Kosgey asked the Chamber to hear him in private.
After the second private session, Mr Oraro said the prosecution had failed to link his client to the Emo Foundation, which has been accused of funding the chaos.
