Ruto’s team faces off with tough witness

Deputy President William Ruto’s team at the International Criminal Court found itself in a tight spot as it attempted to neutralise the evidence of a witness in relation to the 2007/2008 post-election violence.
The prosecution largely ensured what witness P-0800 said was in open court, though there were several closed-door sessions during the cross-examination.

The witness, who said unknown people had offered him money to recant his testimony, started giving evidence on Monday.

He said Mr Ruto asked the Kalenjin to evict the Kikuyu from the Rift Valley at a referendum campaign in 2005.

Under cross-examination by Mr Anton Steynberg for the prosecution, P-0800 also said more than 300 youths had been trained to attack with bows and arrows.

Also heard were claims that Mr Ruto gave money to his aides to distribute to about 3,000 youths who had attended a cleansing ceremony for their role in the mayhem.

Mr Ruto’s co-accused, Joshua Sang, was said to have broadcast names of people to be evicted from the Rift Valley during his radio show on Kass FM.

TOLD TO RECANT

The 26th witness also told the court how he was telephoned by representatives of an undisclosed person in Kenya while at a protected location in Africa and offered money and safe return to his home if he recanted the evidence against Mr Ruto. It was not clear if he got the money.

P-0800, one of the nine witnesses who recanted evidence but forced to appear before the judges, also appeared to be critical of the ICC, accusing it of paying him less than what he used to get before joining the witness list.

“I used to pay my children’s insurance premiums and my worker back at home but that was no longer the case as debts only kept piling,” he said.

Mr Ruto’s defence was eager to tear into the testimony.

They started by saying that apart from two interviews — the screening of the witness and the formal five-day interview in 2012 —  the witness did not discuss anything else to do with the PEV with the court officers, and that they only dealt with issues to do with witness interference.

DENIED ASSOCIATION
An affidavit the witness had sworn claiming he was not aware of Mr Ruto’s role in the violence also came into focus.

Under cross-examination from the DP’s lawyer Shyamala Alagendra, the witness said he was not sure of the contents of the document since someone had written it and he was only asked to sign.

P-0800 also denied any close association with the office of the prosecutor, after claims of coaching came up.

Ms Alagendra accused the witness of fleecing the victims and the witness unit, citing an alleged incident where the unit refused to compensate him when he lied that he had lost cash and three phones to muggers.

Mr Ruto’s defence team continues with the cross-examination of the witness Monday.