Deputy President William Ruto's lead counsel at the International Criminal Court Karim Khan, now alleges that staff at the Office of the Prosecutor had sexual relations with witnesses.
In his new onslaught against his fixers at the Hague-based court, the Deputy President wants staff from the Office of the Prosecutor investigated accusing them of witness tampering, bribery and engaging in illicit sexual relations with witnesses against him.
“The defence submits that the prosecution evidence gives reason to believe that ICC staff members may have: (i) engaged in sexual relations with witnesses and their families; (ii) been bribed by witnesses; and (iii) were party to the submission of false financial claims, breaches of VWU (Victims and Witnesses Unit) protocols by witnesses, and obtaining pecuniary benefit from the false financial claims," the filing made on Monday reads in part.
In his application before Trial Chamber V judges Chile Eboe-Osuji, Olga Herrera Carbuccia and Robert Fremr, Lawyer Khan submitted that there was a strong belief that witnesses were identified and coached by the Office of the Prosecutor in order to implicate Ruto in the 2007-08 post election violence.
"The defense for William Ruto respectfully requests the Trial Chamber to order the Office of the Prosecutor to investigate, with a view to initiating criminal prosecution against OTP witnesses, intermediaries, and possibly ICC staff members, for offences against the administration of justice, contrary to the Rome Statute," the application cites.
Ruto's Lawyer further cited witnesses 0356, 0409, 0613 and 0800 as individuals who deliberately lied to the court, adding that prosecution intermediaries and witnesses P-0613 and P-0800 tampered and/or interfered with the collection of evidence.
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The DP's legal team has requested the ICC judges to order Chief Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda to appoint an independent prosecutor to investigate her witnesses, intermediaries, and possibly ICC staff members, for offences against the administration of justice.
