Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria blames Raila and Karua for Ruto ICC case

Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria on Sunday alleged that he and former Justice minister Martha Karua influenced the investigation and subsequent trial of Deputy President William Ruto at The Hague.

Mr Kuria also claimed that ODM leader Raila Odinga was involved in a “political game” to fix opponents by asking the ICC to investigate them over the 2007-2008 post-election violence.

He claimed he was part of a team, which included Ms Karua, that wrote to the ICC, detailing who should be investigated for crimes against humanity arising from the violence.

However, the former Gichugu MP denied the claims and vowed to sue the first-term lawmaker for “baseless and malicious allegations”.

Ms Karua, through her lawyer, Mr Gitobu Imanyara, vowed to sue the Gatundu South MP for implicating her in the case against the DP.

“There is no truth in the allegations,” said Mr Imanyara on his Facebook wall. “She has instructed me as her lawyer to refute the baseless and malicious allegations of MP Moses Kuria on ICC witness procurement. She says she has never met Kuria, never held any discussion with him”.

ICC DISMISSES CLAIMS

Ms Karua is expected to address the media today to respond to Mr Kuria.

The ICC, through its outreach officer in Kenya and Uganda, Ms Maria Kamara, dismissed the allegations, arguing that the evidence that the Office of the Prosecutor collects determines individuals to be investigated.

Speaking at a prayer rally hosted by Jubilee leaders for Mr Ruto and his co-accused, Mr Joshua arap Sang, in Kapsokwony, Mt Elgon, Mr Kuria said he was privy to the truth about the ICC cases. He claimed the cases were part of the political games used by rival camps to discredit each other.

“I was part of the team that wrote a letter to the International Criminal Court and this was political theatrics and we need to tell Kenyans the truth,” he said.

He claimed that he, together with Ms Karua, recruited people to testify against Mr Ruto, now the Deputy President.

Mr Ruto was an ODM lawmaker and a Cabinet minister in the Grand Coalition Government formed to end the post-election violence.

Similarly, Mr Kuria alleged that Mr Odinga and Kisumu Senator Anyang’ Nyong’o wrote to the ICC. He challenged the three leaders to come out and tell Kenyans the truth about the ICC cases.

'CLUTCHING AT STRAWS'

“I am ready to call on Martha Karua, Anyang Nyong’o and Raila Odinga to come and tell us that this was only a political game as each side wrote a letter to the court. We all know who participated,” he said.

However, Mr Imanyara described the allegations as part of a scheme by Mr Ruto to portray a picture that he was a target of the PNU side of the former government so as to escape the charges at The Hague.

“It is part of the Deputy President’s efforts to clutch at any straw to end the case at the ICC by trying to bring into it former government officials,” he said by telephone. “She will hold a press conference tomorrow (today) and thereafter I will file a suit against the MP.”

The ICC, however, said the letters sent to its prosecutor at The Hague — whether true or not — cannot influence the individuals to be investigated.

“The Office of the Prosecutor gathers information from people who were effected and those who witnessed, without being told who should be investigated. It is the evidence gathered that points to individuals to be investigated,” said Ms Kamara by phone.

ODINGA HAS 'ABANDONED' RUTO

Leaders in Kapsokwony said they were opposed to the case and said they knew who was responsible for the tribulations facing Mr Ruto and Mr Sang. Thika Town MP Alice Ng’ang’a said that at the time, Mr Ruto was not seeking the presidency.

“Ruto was not seeking the top office but was only supporting somebody and we are surprised that he has now abandoned him,” she said.

Mandera Senator Billow Kerrow accused Mr Odinga of abandoning the DP.

“Mr Ruto struggled to look for votes for Raila, but it is surprising that now when Ruto is in need of support, Mr Odinga doesn’t want to help out,” he said.

Water and Irrigation Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa said one community should not be profiled.

Elgeyo-Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen castigated the ICC for allowing prosecutors to use recanted witness statements in the case, saying it was clear that the case had failed.