News
Ocampo itching to prosecute Kenyans
Mr Luis Moreno-Ocampo, the ICC chief prosecutor at The Hague. Photo/REUTERS
Posted Thursday, July 9 2009 at 20:14
The ICC has issued a warrant of arrest against Sudanese President Omar-al-Bashir, a decision that has been criticised.
There has been the argument that by going public about the arrest warrant, the prosecutor jeopardised efforts to seize the Sudanese warlord.
Instead, it is being argued, the prosecutor should have sought a sealed warrant, which could be executed when Mr Bashir travels abroad.
Some of his critics accuse him of making “political misjudgements”, and have dismissed him as an ill-informed publicity seeker.
To illustrate their claim, they cite the decision of the court’s trial chamber to halt Mr Moreno-Ocampo’s first prosecution and free the Congolese defendant Thomas Lubanga, a ruling which is now under appeal. The prosecutor had refused to surrender critical information required by the defence.
The other is a decision by the ICC judges to withdrew genocide charges against the Sudanese leader.
But nothing has threatened the law professor’s career at the ICC as allegations put to an internal panel of judges that Mr Moreno-Ocampo was guilty of sexual misconduct.
The complaint was considered by a panel of three judges from the court.
They interviewed the alleged victim. She firmly denied the allegations — as did Mr Moreno-Ocampo — and the complaint was dismissed as “manifestly unfounded” in December 2006.
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Submitted by jelnamPosted July 11, 2009 11:20 AM
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Submitted by soymet
This is the new beginning for Kenya.I'm in the early 30s but i have never heard of any government official sent to jail because of misusing their powers. This is it for those who still thinking they will get away with evil action. May this come to pass. My God wipe them out one by one.
Posted July 10, 2009 11:25 PM -
Submitted by muus1n1
Let justice reign Ocampo... Prosecuting these people will be a new day in Kenya.. and we will have confidence to do our part to start a new chapter come 2012 ... by voting out their aides and enablers!
Posted July 10, 2009 10:38 PM -
Submitted by mzee_moja
This will be the biggest illusion of the century for Kenya. This our country and nothing happens to our BIG BOYS. Criminals holding public offices and not prosecuted. What Ocampo can do best in Kenya is just couch Harambee Stars, he looks more a football couch than a prosecutor. He resembles Mourinho. Kenya is, CANT TOUCH US!!!
Posted July 10, 2009 10:29 PM -
Submitted by peter mugambi
How long does it take you to"approve" a comment? Its really frustrating how we do stuff in our country,be it in government or private sector.I have written about ICC,about Raila's story on ministers and PSs,about slums but i can't see the comments.Is our "something small", the missing link?
Posted July 10, 2009 09:14 PM
RSS
it is one thing to wish to prosecute them within a year and another to arrest them! i cant see the kenyan government handing over the indicted persons to the ICC, and like Bashir, the implicated only need to ensure that they do not travel to countries where they could be arrested. Lots of hot air from Moreno and he knows it! As though the logistics of getting suspects to the Hague are not enough, proving planning of crimes under the Rome Statute (possibly besides crimes against humanity) will be the crunch!