The ICC is quietly compiling evidence of witness tampering in the collapsed cases against Kenya’s top leadership in a move that may resuscitate The Hague narrative ahead of the August election.
The Star has established that a team of eight ICC sleuths is in Kenya to collect and collate evidence of what they believe was massive witness interference in the now-defunct cases against President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto.
The team is also in the country to monitor top political leaders, including those who were not indicted in the now-collapsed Kenyan cases. Impeccable sources said the ICC agents have been in the country since November.
They are largely drawn from Tanzania and Rwanda and speak fluent English and Kiswahili. In both high-profile cases, ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda indicated that she could press for new charges, decrying political meddling, lack of cooperation and witness interference.
Already, three Kenyans – journalist Walter Barasa, lawyer Paul Gicheru and Philip Kipkoech Bett – have been slapped with arrest warrants for witness tampering in the Ruto case.
Yesterday, ex-defence lawyers in the crimes against humanity charges cases confirmed the presence of the ICC investigators in the country.