Kuria quizzed on ‘witness coaching’
Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria (left) with his Lawyer Danson Mungatana. Investigators from the ICC Prosecutor’s office have asked the MP to reveal the leaders who were allegedly involved in coaching witnesses. PHOTO | PAUL WAWERU | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- He was accompanied to the meeting by his lawyer, Mr Danson Mungatana, former broadcast journalist Joshua arap Sang’s lawyer, Mr Kimutai Bosek, and two ICC investigators.
- At the same time, Mr Ruto and Mr Sang’s lawyers have written to a former Assistant minister, who was later appointed High Commissioner to Australia, Mr Stephen Tarus, seeking to interview him and bring him on board as an ICC witness.
Investigators from the ICC Prosecutor’s Office have asked Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria to reveal the leaders who were allegedly involved in coaching witnesses.
In a session that lasted three hours with the MP in Nairobi on Wednesday, the investigators inquired about the identities of politicians from the main parties at the centre of the disputed 2007 General Election.
Mr Kuria was being questioned over his recent claims that he coached some of the witnesses, who appeared before the Waki and Kriegler commissions, which looked into the causes of the 2007/8 post-election violence and electoral malpractices, respectively.
He was accompanied to the meeting by his lawyer, Mr Danson Mungatana, former broadcast journalist Joshua arap Sang’s lawyer, Mr Kimutai Bosek, and two ICC investigators.
Mr Mungatana declined to reveal the details of the session.
“The basis of these investigations was mainly on media reports and no statements were directed to Moses Kuria. They came up with various questions seeking clarifications. I am glad to say we covered all the questions,” he said.
I AM NOW A WITNESS
Mr Kuria also refused to discuss details of the meeting.
“I am now a defence witness. Please, respect my status as a witness and respect that I have said as much as I would have said on that subject,” he said.
But sources said the MP’s meeting with the ICC officials was about who led the “coaching teams”, on the government (PNU) and ODM sides.
At the same time, Mr Ruto and Mr Sang’s lawyers have written to a former Assistant minister, who was later appointed High Commissioner to Australia, Mr Stephen Tarus, seeking to interview him and bring him on board as an ICC witness.
“I can confirm that I have written to him (Mr Tarus) but he is yet to respond,” said Mr Katwa Kigen, who acts for Mr Sang.
Mt Tarus, who was a PNU member, has been mentioned in the debate on the alleged procurement of witnesses to the Kriegler commission.
He, like Mr Kuria, insists he only coached witnesses for the commissions of inquiry, and not the ICC.
