William Ruto ICC trial thread.

Ab-Titchaz

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Deputy President William Ruto International Criminal Court trial set



By Felix Olick

The stage is now set for the trial of Deputy President William Ruto with a major press conference on the commencement of the trials scheduled at The Hague.

The joint press conference of the defence, the prosecution, the registry and lawyers representing victims is scheduled for September 9, just a day before the trials kick off.

Ruto is charged alongside Radio Journalist Joshua Arap Sang for orchestrating the violence that brought Kenya to its knees in late 2007 and early 2008 that left more than 1,100 people dead and forced a further 650,000 from their homes.
According to a statement from the International Criminal Court (ICC), Ruto's Lead Counsel Karim Khan and ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda are among those who shall address the media.

The ICC Registrar, Herman von Hebel, will open the Press Conference. The ICC Prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, the Defence Counsel for William Samoei Ruto, Karim Khan, the Defence Counsel for Joshua Arap Sang, Joseph Kipchumba Kigen-Katwa, and the Legal Representative of the Victims, Wilfred Nderitu, will then make short statements,the ICC statement read in part.

There will also be an opportunity to ask questions for journalists attending the event in The Hague.

Preparations are also in top gear for the trials of President Uhuru Kenyatta with a status conference set for next week on Friday to set the ground rules.
Uhuru's trial opens on November 12.

Top on the agenda of the meeting is the duration of the prosecution case, the procedure for applying for site visits and the sitting schedule.

Also to be discussed is the request by Uhuru to be present through his trial via video link.

However, the three judge bench headed by Japanese Judge Kuniko Ozaki said that Uhuru is not required to attend the status conference.

The accused, Mr Kenyatta, is not required to attend the hearing in person but has to be represented by his Counsels, said a statement from the court.

Standard Digital News - Kenya : Deputy President William Ruto International Criminal Court trial set
 
Ruto to adjust to new protocol at the Hague



PHOTO | FILE Deputy President William Ruto is welcomed by his lawyer Karim Khan to the International Criminal Court at The Hague for the Status Conference of his case. He is accompanied by his wife Rachel (centre). NATION MEDIA GROUP

In Summary


  • It means that whether or not Mr Ruto would be escorted by his usual security detail when he is within the court precincts is entirely a matter to be determined by the court.
  • The tentative trial schedule indicates that the Ruto-Sang trials would be running from 9.30 am to 4 pm daily during weekdays.
  • Mr Ruto lost his application for the trial to be staggered to enable him perform his constitutional functions. The deputy president wanted the proceedings held for two weeks followed by two week breaks.


The Deputy President William Ruto will find himself in unfamiliar territory once the post-election violence trial against him starts at the International Criminal Court in 10 days.

And, although he is not under arrest, Mr Ruto will have to forego the privileges he enjoys as deputy president while inside the court, including his security, which the ICC said will be handled by the court.

"The ICC has authority inside its own premises, thus all security matters inside have to be taken care off solely by the court's security. However, outside of the ICC premises, such matters are under the authority of the Dutch State; Kenyan authorities may discuss it directly with their Dutch pairs," ICC spokesman Fadi El Abdallah told the Sunday Nation in an interview.

It means that whether or not Mr Ruto would be escorted by his usual security detail when he is within the court precincts is entirely a matter to be determined by the court. As deputy president, Mr Ruto enjoys round-the-clock protection from the elite Recce Company of the General Service Unit. Wherever he goes, members of his security detail must keep an eye on him, which will be different anytime he is at the court.

The trials of Mr Ruto and his co-accused Joshua Sang will start on September 10 to October 4 before the Trial Chamber adjourns for a week to resume sittings on October 14 to November 1. The trial will be held before Trial Chamber V(a) composed of Judge Chile Eboe-Osuji (presiding), Judge Olga Herrera Carbuccia and Judge Robert Fremr.

THEIR CHARGES

The two are jointly accused of crimes against humanity which they allegedly orchestrated during the 2007/08 post-election violence. Meanwhile, President Uhuru Kenyatta's trial begins two months later on November 12. However, the ICC will hold a Status Conference on September 6 to consider President Kenyatta's request to attend his trials through video link and the procedural issues ahead of the start of his trial.

For the court, it would be a precedent setting trial because it is the first time a sitting deputy president is facing trial at the court. An August 30 press statement by the court advising journalists who wish to cover the opening of the trials to seek accreditation in advance confirmed the same. "Please note that given the expected high attendance for this hearing, journalists who do not confirm their attendance in advance cannot be guaranteed access to the hearing," the statement said.

The tentative trial schedule indicates that the Ruto-Sang trials would be running from 9.30 am to 4 pm daily during weekdays.

Meanwhile, Mr Abdallah said Mr Ruto and Mr Sang remain free as long as they observe the conditions set by the trial chamber judges.

"There are no arrest warrants for Mr Ruto or Mr Sang. They are free persons and are only requested to be present at the hearings, in accordance with the schedule that is established by the ICC judges. Outside of this presence, and on the condition of continuing the compliance with the iudges' orders and conditions of no interference with witnesses, there are no restrictions imposed on them," the ICC spokesperson said.

According to Mr Abdallah, during the days of breaks, which include weekends and ICC holidays, Mr Ruto and Mr Sang are free to travel.

Much as they can travel, Mr Abdallah said, "they however need to ensure that they will be on time for the hearings as scheduled by the judges. The ICC sections facilitate any logistic issues that may arise, in coordination with the Kenyan authorities and The Netherlands."

This more or less restricts them to the court precincts except on weekends, during court holidays and the periods before and after each session each day. Thus, Mr Ruto would miss his frequent political rallies and meet-the-people tours he enjoys.

Mr Ruto lost his application for the trial to be staggered to enable him perform his constitutional functions. The deputy president wanted the proceedings held for two weeks followed by two week breaks.

BALANCING ACT

Aware that he will be away for nearly a month, the deputy president has the difficult task of making a choice on whom to entrust with the political and administrative charge of his office while he is away. Mr Ruto's chief of staff Mary Keittany is a prime candidate to run the administrative wing to ensure the two key divisions, Efficiency Monitoring Unit (EMU) and the Inspectorate of State Corporations (ISC), operate smoothly.

The deputy president's office relinquished a number of divisions and departments that were previously under the office of the Prime Minister to either the Office of the President or the Ministry of Devolution and Planning, including performance contracting, public service reforms, the Parliamentary Affairs Office and rapid results initiative. The climate change department was also moved to the Ministry of Environment.

Furthermore, the deputy president may also have to hand over party leadership role to a trusted party lieutenant. His URP party began its retreat in Naivasha on Friday under the chairmanship of former House Speaker Francis ole Kaparo as the referendum push by Bomet Governor Isaac Rutto gathers momentum.

While opening the two-day retreat, Mr Kaparo hinted at the management changes while the party leader is away, saying the retreat would address the party's organisation and the way forward. The deputy president was expected to meet URP lawmakers on Saturday.

Meanwhile, the ICC Registrar, Herman von Hebel, is scheduled to hold a joint press conference on Monday September 9 with Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda and defence counsel Karim Khan and Katwa Kigen for Mr Ruto and Mr Sang respectively at around 1 pm Kenyan time ahead of the commencement of the trial.

The victims' legal representative Wilfred Nderitu will also be present for the media briefing.

As happened during the status conference, Mr Ruto will be received at the Schiphol Airport by Kenya's ambassador Makena Muchiri. In addition, as sitting deputy president, he will be accorded full diplomatic treatment.

Mr Nderitu said that since Mr Ruto and Mr Sang do not have arrest warrants on them, the ICC is not obligated to receive them at the airport.

"There is a common understanding and as such there will be no obstacles. However, his movements should be in a manner that makes it possible for him to attend the sessions," Mr Nderitu said.

Ruto to adjust to new protocol at the Hague - Politics - nation.co.ke
 
MPs travelling to The Hague in solidarity with Deputy President William Ruto

By TITUS TOO

Kenya: Close to 50 Members of Parliament plan to travel to The Hague to join friends and relatives of Deputy President William Ruto at his trial next month

The delegation is expected to dwarf that of victims' representatives as the first trial for crimes against humanity committed after the 2007 election kicks off.

The Standard On Saturday has learned that lawmakers from across Kenya plan to accompany the Deputy President to the legal proceedings in "a show of solidarity".

One of the MPs involved in the plan, Turbo's Elisha Busienei, says the leaders will travel in four groups over the course of the first three weeks of Ruto's trial.

" MPs are registering themselves in Nairobi," Busienei said. "One group will accompany him to The Hague. I will be in the group that will accompany him back home."

He added two groups would visit the DP during the trial. He said the final number of people who register to travel would be out by Monday.

Mr Ruto's trial at the International Criminal Court alongside Radio presenter Joshua Sang is scheduled to begin on September 10. The first sitting will run for three consecutive weeks before resuming after a ten-day break. The two face charges of murder, deportation and persecution in the greater Eldoret area in the early part of 2008.

ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda last week lost a battle to amend the charges to include crimes allegedly committed in Eldoret in late 2007, which she believed would have strengthened her case.

Multiple sources said Ruto has met repeatedly with his legal teams in the last couple of weeks to prepare his defence.

"His schedule has not been smooth sailing," said a close aide who sought anonymity since he is not authorised to speak to the media.

"Occasionally, he has been forced to hold meetings with his legal team at short notice to streamline issues in readiness for the trial."

Standard Digital News - Kenya : MPs travelling to The Hague in solidarity with Deputy President William Ruto
 
Deputy President William Ruto opposes prosecutor's bid to amend ICC charges



Deputy President William Ruto's lead counsel Karim Khan. [Photo: File/Standard]

By FELIX OLICK
With just a week to the commencement of his trials at The Hague, Deputy President William Ruto is fighting to block the prosecution from amending charges against him.

In a new application to the International Criminal Court (ICC), Mr Ruto has asked the judges to reject a request by Chief Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda for leave to appeal a decision to expand the scope of his charges.

Bensouda is seeking permission from Pre-Trial Chamber II judges to include further incidents of rape, murder and deportation that allegedly took place between December 30 and 31, 2007.

The defence

But through his lead counsel Karim Khan, Ruto maintained that the late attempt to amend charges against him to include the two days would result in an unfair burden for his defence team and would unduly compromise his rights.

"According to the court's established jurisprudence, the rights and interests of the victims are secondary to and must not result in prejudice to the fair trial rights of an accused," the application read in part.

Judge Ekaterina Trendafilova, sitting as a single judge, had rejected Bensouda's application arguing that allowing such an amendment in the absence of any justification would be an ‘unfair burden' to the defence, which would require time to conduct its investigations.

"This course of action would unduly compromise the rights of the accused persons to be informed promptly of the nature, cause and content of the charges, to have adequate time and facilities for the preparation of their defence and to be tried without undue delay," the single judge ruled.

Trials against Sang and Ruto are scheduled to kick off next Tuesday.

However, in her request for permission to appeal the decision of the single judge last week, Bensouda warned that if she is not allowed to amend charges, her case may be unfairly weakened.

The prosecutor claimed that by excluding events that happened on December 30 and 31, 2007 in the greater Eldoret area from the scope of the trial, amounts to denying her office the chance to charge and prosecute Ruto and Sang for crimes allegedly committed in those locations during those dates.

Standard Digital News - Kenya : Deputy President William Ruto opposes prosecutor?s bid to amend ICC charges
 


William Ruto aelekea ICC kwa kesi.



Naibu rais William Ruto anakabiliwa na mashtaka ya kuchocheza ghasia za baada ya uchaguzi Kenya

Naibu rais wa Kenya William Ruto, ameondoka kuelekea Hague Uholanzi ambako anakabiliwa na kesi ya uhalifu dhidi ya binadamau katika mahakama ya ICC. Kesi yake inatarajiwa kuanza siku ya Jumanne.

Maafisa wakuu wa serikali walimuaga Ruto katika uwanja wa kimataifa wa Jomo Kenyatta mjini Nairobi.

Bwana Ruto na rais Uhuru Kenyatta, wameshtakiwa kwa kesi ya uhalifu dhidi ya binadamu, ingawa wanakana kuhusika na mauaji yaliyotokea kufuatia ghasia za baada ya uchaguzi wa mwaka 2007-2008.

Mnamo siku ya Jumapili, Rais Kenyatta alisema kuwa ICC lazima isikize kesi hizo kwa ratiba nzuri ambayo itawapa viongozi hao muda wa kurejea nyumbani kwani wote hawawezi kuwa nje ya nchi kwa wakati mmoja.

Kesi dhidi ya Kenyatta inatarajiwa kuanza kusikilizwa mwezi Novemba.

Mkuu wa kituo cha redio kilichodaiwa kuchochea mapigano katika mojawapo ya maeneo yaliyokumbwa na mapigano, Joshua arap Sang , ameshtakiwa kwa kosa la kuchochea mapighano na kusaidia watu kuyaandaa mapigano hayo.

Yeye pia amekanusha madai hayo.

Tuhuma dhidi ya wanaume hao watatu, yanatokana na ghasia za baada ya uchaguzi wa mwaka 2007, ambapo zaidi ya watu 1,000 waliuawa na wengine laki sita kuachwa bila makao.

Kenyatta na Ruto walikuwa mahasimu wa kisiasa wakati wa uchaguzi wa mwaka 2007 na wanatuhumiwa kwa kupanga na kusaidia kutekeleza mapigano kati ya makabila hasimu.

Wadadisi wanasema kuwa kesi zao katika mahakama ya ICC ziliwasaidia katika kampeini zao kwani walizitumia kukosoa mataifa ya magharibi kwa kuingilia mambo ya ndani ya nchi hizo.

Mnamo siku ya Jumamosi, Kenyatta aliwakabidhi hundi ya zaidi ya dola elfu nne familia za watu ambao walilazimika kutoroka makwao kufuatia ghasia za baada ya uchaguzi mkuu na ambao bado walikuwa wanaishi katika kambi za wakimbizi.

Wiki jana bunge la Kenya lilipitisha hoja ya mjadala wa Kenya kujiondoa katika mahakama ya ICC.

Chanzo: BBC
 
Itabidi Kenya iombe msaada Tanzania wa kuongoza nchi,ikitokeaUhuru na Ruto wote wakipandishwa kizimbani The Hugue.
 
Hmmmm...eti leo shahidi mwingine kajitoa.

Naona Uhuruto kweli wamenuia kuzihujumu hizo kesi dhidi yao.

Maana, iweje mashahidi wote hao wajitoe hivyo?

Things that make you go hmmm.......

Ni ngumu sana kwa vinchi vyetu hivi vya Kiafrika kwa wananchi wake kutoa ushuhuda dhidi ya 'viongozi' wao.

Witness tampering at its best.
 

Hata ingekuwa wewe ungefanya je hapo sasa? hio mbona ni obvious, hata ulaya inafanyika
 
Nimesikiliza na kutazama hotuba ya Mh. Rais Uhuru Kenyatta na Mh. Ruto. Makamu wa Rais, kumbe mambo yakiwa 'magumu- ICC the Hague' hotuba za 'kizungu' kwa wananchi zote hutoweka na ghafla wanakuwa 'waswahili' kwa kutumia lugha ya Kiswahili ili wananchi wa kawaida walio wengi wawaonee huruma, sikiliza/ tazama clip hii ya jana : source: NTV Kenya: Uhuru reads riot act to the ICC.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Askari Kanzu said:
Akina Koborer, Dhuks na Kabaridi kwenye huu uzi wameingia mitini. Sijui ni kwa nini!
Click to expand...

What do you mean exactly? This has just started and and we have not had the opportunity to read it through. Is this your way of inviting us to comment? Wasn't it already obvious that Ruto and Uhuru will personally travel to the Hague for these cases? Ama niaje sikuelewi.
 
Koborer said:
What do you mean exactly? This has just started and and we have not had the opportunity to read it through. Is this your way of inviting us to comment?
Click to expand...
Kiswahii kinakupiga chenga sio. Sasa wewe, mimi niandike kwa Kiswahili halafu wewe unijibu kwa Kiingereza. Bado unaamini unaeleweka zaidi kama utatumia lugha hiyo?
 
it was not going to be easy for the west to let kenya go scott free...having decided to cut all links to the west and looking east.

hawakuweza kuweka sanctions za kiuchumi kama walivyowekea zimbabwe. luckily kenya is not a banana republic.
The egos of the owners of the ICC project are being poked as uhururuto prepare to go to the hague...let us wait and see the outcome
 
Kesi inaendelea,tunaangalia live bila chenga...kwa mashtaka haya sizani kama bw Ruto atasalimika.upande wa mashtaka wameonya, ''wale wanatemper na mashahidi watachukuliwa hatua za kisheria'' huyu steynberg na huyu mama wamejipanga kuwaangamiza kabisa
 
cha kujifunza kipo kuwa viongozi wa nchi za kiafrika na nchi masikini ndiyo wanashtakiwa ila viongozi wa nchi kubwa hawashikiwi. je huo ndiyo usimamiaji wa haki?
 
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