Ruto set to leave on Monday for Hague

Deputy President William Ruto will fly out to The Hague on Monday for the beginning of his trial over charges of crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court.

Wednesday, he was locked up at his official residence in Karen, Nairobi where he was making final preparations for the unprecedented trial of a sitting president and his deputy by the world court for crimes against humanity.

Sources close to Mr Ruto said he plans to fly to The Hague on Monday alongside a number of MPs who thronged the Netherlands embassy office along Riverside Road in Kileleshwa Wednesday seeking visas for the trip.

This came as another prosecution witness lined up to testify against Deputy President William Ruto withdrew from the case yesterday as he prepared to.

The witness was due to be presented by chief prosector Fatou Bensouda but he cited frustrations and manipulation of his statement by International Criminal Court officials.

In a statement seen by the Nation, Witness OTPC2 who was allotted No VWUK16 spoke of “psychological trauma, physical abuse and separation from his family” when he was flown to the Netherlands.

He alleges that two ICC officials manipulated his statement and compelled him to sign. Three witnesses who have so far withdrawn from the case and recanted their statements against Mr Ruto and broadcaster Joshua Sang.

However, the Nation was unable to independently confirm the authenticity of the alleged witness. But ICC Registrar Herman Von Hebel dismissed claims of manipulation of witnesses to testify.

In a TV programme ‘ICC in Focus’, Mr Hebel was categorical that the ICC does not pay witnesses to testify.