Nairobi, KENYA: Senate Majority Leader Kindiki Kithure has accused the prosecution at the International Criminal Court ( ICC) of misconstruing Kenya’s threat to pull out from the Rome statute.
Senate Majority Leader Kindiki Kithure
Prof Kithure alleged that the prosecution was “acting in desperation” to mislead the judges into thinking that Kenya was trying to be uncooperative in the ICC process.
“It is upon the prosecution to build its own case. But trying to encroach into Parliament discussions and bringing them before the ICC will not be tolerated,” Kithure, who was at one time part of Deputy President William Ruto’s defence team said.
Kithure spearheaded a motion in the Senate calling for the pull out, a week after the National Assembly passed a similar vote. Both votes, which were boycotted by the opposition, CORD, were a subject of discussion at theICC where Ruto is facing crimes against humanity charges.
The prosecution has suggested that the pullout threats amounted to intimidation of its witnesses. Speaking during a press conference in Mombasa, Kithure attacked the prosecution accusing it of “exercising its jurisdiction and powers recklessly” but still expressed confidence in the judges. He said Kenya will cooperate with ICC.
“At no time have I or the Senate said we don’t have faith in the judges, but time has come for us to pull out of the ICC. We have no faith in the ICC nor the intentions of the prosecution team,” the majority leader said.
By STANLEY MWAHANGA, The Standard
