Justice for poll victims tops Bensouda agenda

When she took up the all-important office of Prosecutor at the International Criminal Court, Mrs Fatou Bensouda promised to deliver justice to victims of various crimes in Africa.

And as though to confirm that this indeed is her resolve, she said on her first day of her visit to Kenya on Monday that Kenyan victims are her priority.

“The women, men and children who suffered during the dark days of 2007-2008 are my priority, my daily motivation. They always have been and they always will be,” she said.

Mrs Bensouda, now four months, six days old in office, is leading a team of prosecutors in discharging the court’s mandate — prosecuting cases of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. These are perhaps the world’s most serious crimes.

An end to impunity

She has promised to ensure she uses her position to bring an end to impunity while enforcing the Rome Statute on which the ICC is based. This mandate has been given to her by 121 States Parties.

Her plate is full. Apart from the Kenyan cases arising from the 2007 post-election violence, she has investigations and prosecutions regarding atrocities in Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Darfur region of Sudan, Central African Republic, Libya and Cote d’Ivoire.

Her office is also monitoring volatile situations in Palestine, Nigeria, Afghanistan, Colombia Georgia, Guinea, Korea and Honduras, according to the ICC records. She inherited 11 arrest warrants and 14 open investigations in seven countries.

The 51-year-old Gambian lawyer is not only the first African but also the first woman to head the international crimes court. She said being African gives her inspiration and pride to do her best in her quest to end atrocities.

Mrs Bensouda became the second prosecutor at ICC after Mr Luis Moreno-Ocampo, whom she succeeded on June 16. (READ: ICC new prosecutor Bensouda takes office) Mr Ocampo was the Court’s first Prosecutor.

She was nominated and supported by the African Union as the sole African candidate for the position. She was unanimously elected by the 121 States Parties on December, 12 last year.

Previously, she held the position of ICC Deputy Prosecutor in charge of prosecutions, a position she had served since August 2004 when she was elected by an overwhelming majority by the Assembly of States Parties.

The ICC prosecutor is a highly experienced lawyer, with a reputation of being principled and sensitive law expert. On Monday, she said she was out to dig deep and seek the truth about the post election violence cases.

“By doing so, by bringing justice, we can provide some solace to survivors, restore dignity to shattered lives and the memory of those who were killed,” she said.

On Monday, she said she is deeply indebted to the AU and African leaders including President Mwai Kibaki, for their confidence in her. “Their support is yet another example of Africa’s commitment to international justice and their desire to end impunity,” she said.

She said she considers herself a mere extension of the African fabric for ending impunity, given that she was nominated and supported for the position by the AU.

Ms Bensouda holds a masters degree in international maritime law and law of the sea. She is the first international maritime law expert of The Gambia.