Deputy President William Ruto addressed the International Criminal Court (ICC) as the first top serving Government official facing trial, and pledged to voluntarily cooperate with The Hague-based institution.
Deputy President William Ruto
Ruto reiterated his commitment and that of the new Government to cooperate, saying he would prove his innocence, as he believed in the rule of law.
But even as he committed to cooperate, the Deputy President urged the court to strike a balance between his responsibilities to the court and his responsibilities. “I am aware that my responsibility to the court as an individual must be balanced by my constitutional responsibility as Deputy President ,” he said.
Ruto told the judges he and President Uhuru Kenyatta, who also faces trial, were “popularly elected by the people of Kenya in a free, democratic and fair election.”
He said the president and him believe in the rule of law, justice and truth hence will cooperate with the court as they had always done.
Earlier, Ruto’s lead counsel Karim Khan had told judges to waive his right to appear in person during his trial citing his new status .
He reminded the judges it was the first time a deputy president was appearing at the ICC and asked the Chamber to allow him to be represented by his lawyers.
“There is no benefit of an individual simply sitting in court. Remember that this is the first time in history when a deputy Head of State has surrendered for justice,” Khan said, seeking waiver of the requirement that a defendant must be present in the courtroom during trial.
Addressing the trial judges in the Status Conference, Ruto also claimed the ICC intervention had generated “two sets of victims”.
These were victims of the 2007 post-election violence who deserve the truth, he said, and another category of which “I am part of victims of syndicate of falsehoods and of lies.”
He pleaded his innocence saying he had been hauled in court because of a “network” of lies.
“Circumstances surrounding this matter has produced two set of victims,” Ruto said. “Post-election violence victims whose lives and property were destroyed and deserve justice and truth and another set of victims which I belong to. Victims of a syndicate of falsehood and a conspiracy of lies choreographed by networks against truth and justice,”
He said that he has previously submitted to the jurisdiction of the ICC and would continue to do so.
Ruto has requested the judges to vacate the scheduled May 28 commencement date of trial for a new date not earlier than November faulting the prosecution for what they maintained was piece-meal disclosure of evidence.
His new commitment to cooperate with the court comes against the backdrop of a controversial letter by Kenya’s Permanent Representative to the UN Macharia Kamau asking the Security Council to terminate the two cases. “What this delegation is asking for is not deferral. What this delegation is asking for is the immediate termination of the case at the Hague without much further ado,” the petition said in part.
The statement warned the cases were a threat to peace and stability. Ruto has since disowned the contentious letter.
By FELIX OLICK, The Standard
