Ocampo: Rift Valley attackers were paid KSh50,000

Kalenjin attackers who killed Kikuyus in the Rift Valley were paid KSh50,000 each and promised land after the 2007 elections, the International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutors said on Friday.

Three Kenyans facing post-election violence charges at The Hague were seeking to evict supporters of the Party of National Unity (PNU) if the 2007 elections were rigged as they had claimed,

ICC prosecutors have told the Pre-Trial Chamber hearing the Kenyan cases. (FOLLOW the proceedings via live video and livetext)

The three - William Ruto, Henry Kosgey and Joshua Sang - were not only responsible for organising, funding and execution of the attacks but also “ignited tensions in the Rift Valley”, the prosecution told the ICC judges.

The prosecution also told the Pre-Trial Chamber II that the attackers were promised immunity once ODM took over power after the elections.

When making the case against the three, the prosecution said that the attacks were organised and coordinated through a military wing of their network led by three former military officers.

According to the prosecution, Mr Ruto was the main player in the attacks as he gave orders and also organised the funding of the attacks. Mr Kosgey was also a key player but “subordinate” to Mr Ruto though the prosecution said he was more wealthy.

The two also used Mr Sang’s broadcasts on Kass FM not only to coordinate their subordinates but also to incite the Kalenjins against the Kikuyus and other pro-PNU supporters. Mr Ruto and Mr Kosgey, the prosecution said, capitalised and used “ethnic connections and creating tensions.”

Money

The prosecution said that Mr Ruto funded the network himself and he and Mr Kosgey would give everyone who came for meetings to his house money. Businessmen supplied food and livestock to the attackers and witnesses have told Moreno-Ocampo that the money was to compensate the attackers like a salary.

“At a meeting at Ruto’s Sugoi home, Ruto gave each youth KSh4,000, said a witness,” the prosecutors told the judges adding that this was corroborated by a second witness.

They said that Mr Ruto provided logistical support including phones. He also supplied gas cylinders. He also ensured they had guns.

A witness said that it was Mr Ruto who supplied the guns and gave orders where they were destined for. Mr Kosgey, the prosecution said, put perpetrators at ease and promised that an ODM government would take care of them.

The three “military” commanders who were referred to as generals were John Koech who was in charge of the South Rift, Augustine Cheruiyot for the North Rift and Samson Cheraboss for the Central Rift. The prosecution said that they reported to Mr Ruto or Mr Kosgey.

Witnesses told the prosecution that the commanders were present at most planning meetings. The commanders are said to have all had surbordinates who were the local coordinators and direct perpetrators.

“Ruto used the hierarchy to control the commanders and the direct perpetrator,” the prosecution said.

Attack

Some witness was quoted by the prosecution saying that the commanders reported on December 6 and 14, 2007 that they had identified the houses and property to be attacked.

Mr Ruto is alleged to have severally said that the Kikuyus have to be evicted from Eldoret and also the Rift Valley. The Nandis, after listening to this, believed that the Kikuyus were to be evicted. He is also said to have told the residents that the Kikuyus had exploited the Kalenjins and were campaigning against him.

The prosecution said that the violence was not spontaneous and happened as a result of a common plan by the suspects. The prosecution lawyers said that inflicting fear and destroying homes and property left the victims with no option but leave.

Witnesses, the prosecution said, claimed that they were told by Mr Ruto and Mr Kosgey that those who did not support ODM must be evicted from the region. Another witness told the prosecution that during an ODM rally ahead of the elections, leaders asked their supporters to be vigilant as they were concerned that there would be rigging by PNU.

The witnesses said that Mr Ruto had the power because he had been “given by the people” authority to be their leader due to his status in ODM. Even though he was not running for the presidency, the prosecution said, he asked people to support ODM and he was a representative of the Kalenjins and especially the Nandis.

Mr Ruto and Mr Kosgey, the Prosecution said, were supported by other politicians and one was quoted by witnesses as saying that the money they were raising would be used to evict the Kikuyu, the Kamba and the Kisii who he claimed were planning to rig the election.

A prosecution witness is said to have described a meeting attended by Mr Ruto and Mr Kosgey as one that discussed the acquisition of weapons and transport to get attackers to the places where the Kikuyus were.

The prosecution also said that the elders involved in the Ruto-Kosgey network gave legitimacy by using the traditions of the community as a way of ensuring support for the network’s activities. Elders discussed how much money they had and what they would contribute to the network, the prosecution said.

The elders also recruited the regional coordinators and coordinated the youths during the attacks. A witness, the prosecution said, claimed that that the elders were present during the Turbo attacks where an elder asked them to attack and also to check that no “enemy” had been left.

Some of the elders allegedly carried out rituals to protect the attackers and on December 14 2007, Mr Ruto, Cheruiyot, Cheraboss and Mr Koech received blessing from the elders who also blessed the weapons.