Kenya Lawyer Paul Gicheru Charged for Bribing Witnesses at ICC Found Dead

Lawyer Paul Gicheru, who was charged at the International Criminal Court for allegedly compromising witnesses that were to testify against President William Ruto has died.

The Eldoret-based lawyer’s death has been confirmed by his family.

The family, however, promised to give more details about their kin’s death.

In June, the International Criminal Court (ICC) closed the trial of lawyer Gicheru over the alleged bribery of witnesses that were to testify against President William Ruto concerning the 2007 post-election violence that left 1,200 people dead.

His lawyers and ICC prosecutors clashed in their counter-arguments at the end of the trial that lasted 19 months, where Ruto was mentioned multiple times.

Trial judge Miatta Maria Samba said the chamber will deliberate on the proceedings and, within a reasonable period, pronounce its decision on either conviction or acquittal.

Mr Gicheru had in November 2020 surrendered to the authorities of the Netherlands pursuant to an arrest warrant issued by Pre-Trial Chamber II of ICC.

The arrest warrant against Mr Gicheru and Philip Kipkoech Bett was issued under seal on 10 March 2015 and unsealed on 10 September 2015.

The court had issued arrest warrants for three Kenyans — Walter Barasa, Paul Gicheru and Phillip Bett — on charges of obstructing the course of justice.

The arrest warrant against Mr Gicheru was initially issued under seal on March 10, 2015 by trial chamber Judge Ekaterina Trendafilova.

This was after chaos erupted on December 31, 2007, after the announcement of Mwai Kibaki as the presidential poll winner in a race he closely contested with ODM leader Raila Odinga.

By Nation. Africa