Bensouda to visit chaos hotspots
International Criminal Court (ICC) Chief Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda will tour the hotspots of the 2008 post-election violence. Photo/FILE
What you need to know:
- ICC prosecutor flies in on Monday as part of preparations for trial of four accused Kenyans
ICC chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda, who arrives on Monday, will tour the hotspots of the 2008 post-election violence.
Ms Bensouda, who will have a crowded agenda during her five-day visit, is coming to Kenya as part of the International Criminal Court’s preparations for the trial of four Kenyans facing charges of crimes against humanity in April next year.
Her office has billed the visit as an interaction with victims of the 2007/08 post-election violence. (READ: ICC prosecutor seeks time to meet witnesses)
She will tour Naivasha, Nakuru and Eldoret, visit IDP camps, and hold a meeting at the Kiambaa church where 17 people were burnt alive at the height of the violence.
This is the first time Ms Bensouda is visiting the country as the prosecutor. Her visit also comes just a few months before four Kenyans, who include presidential aspirants Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto, start their trials at The Hague-based court.
However, the trial dates, April 10 and 11, coincide with the time set for a presidential run-off.
The prosecutor, who took over from Mr Luis Moreno-Ocampo in July, will be accompanied by Phakiso Mochochoko, head of the Jurisdiction, Complementarity and Cooperation Division, and Shamiso Mbizvo, the cooperation adviser.
At the same time, the government said it will fully cooperate with the ICC regarding the four Kenyan cases.
Justice Minister Eugene Wamalwa also said that the government will welcome and assist Ms Bensouda during her visit.
“Kenya will host her very well as a show of our commitment to work with the ICC. We will also cooperate and assist in all her requests,” Mr Wamalwa said.
The minister was speaking on Friday in Nairobi after attending the launch of the inaugural state of the Judiciary and Administration of Justice report.
Last week, Attorney-General Githu Muigai praised the working relationship between the government and the ICC prosecutor.
Prof Muigai told a conference in Nuremberg, Germany that Ms Bensouda’s approach, unlike that of her predecessor, had improved relations between the court and the government.
The AG spoke when he made a presentation on the progress Kenya has made in ensuring justice following the 2008 poll chaos.
