Ruto optimistic his case will collapse as ICC urged to discard recanted evidence

Deputy President William Ruto has expressed confidence that the International Criminal Court (ICC) case against him will collapse following the resolution that Rule 68 of the Rome Statute cannot be applied in the Kenyan cases.

Speaking on Sunday at St Cecilia Catholic Church in Mikinduri, Meru County, where he attended a fundraiser, Mr Ruto thanked Kenyans for their prayers that he said had led to Kenya’s success at Assembly of State Parties (ASP) in the Hague.

However, it was not clear whether Kenya had successfully pushed its agenda at the meeting as civil society representatives said the matter would now be left to the ICC appellate judges.

An optimistic Mr Ruto said: “I believe that in a short while, we will be back here building the country together.”

Meru County Woman Representative Florence Kajuju thanked the ASP president for giving the Kenyan delegation a chance to be heard despite opposition.

Ms Kajuju was among the legislators who attended the ASP meeting. She also accompanied the Deputy President to Meru.

“Our success at the ASP is a testimony that our prayers have worked. We believe that the Deputy President and Mr (Joshua arap) Sang will be free next year. The use of recanted evidence by ICC was a ploy to sustain the collapsing case,” said Ms Kajuju.

Igembe South MP Mithika Linturi said the ICC should act with speed and conclude the case as the ASP resolution had sealed its fate.

“Following that resolution, Mr Ruto and Mr Sang’s case will collapse just like that of President Kenyatta,” said Mr Linturi.

EFFACING SOCIAL ILLS
On tribalism, Mr Ruto said the resolve by the Jubilee administration to merge affiliate parties was aimed at uniting the country.

“Kenyans must decide on which side they stand. We are committed to stemming tribalism from our leadership and politics. We can’t lead by dividing Kenyans through many small parties. This is why we want all Kenyans to join hands under one party,” he said.

During his visit to Kenya last week, Pope Francis challenged the country and its leaders to shun tribalism.

He led young people who met him at the Safaricom Stadium in Kasarani in holding hands to symbolise their commitment to fostering unity and fighting tribalism.

The Pope also spoke out against corruption, saying the corrupt will never know peace.

He warned that corruption was like sugar; it can cause diabetes both in individuals and the country.

Speaking on graft on Sunday, Mr Ruto said the government was ready to eradicate the crime by barring corrupt firms and individuals from doing business with it.

“Government officials who are corrupt will be sacked and prosecuted. No one should hide under the guise of orders from above any more. Kenyans must know that it doesn’t pay to be corrupt”.

He also asked the public to support the government in the campaign against graft.

The DP later addressed residents of Igembe North at St Peter’s Catholic Church in Laare town where he steered clear of the ICC issue.

JUDGES DECISION
During the nine-day ASP meeting at The Hague, Kenya asked the Assembly of State Parties — the political and legislative arm of the ICC — to change Rule 68 which allows use of recanted evidence.

It argued that when the rule was amended in November 2013, there was an agreement it would not be used in the ongoing case against Mr Ruto and journalist Joshua arap Sang.

However, the DP’s case is still in the hands of ICC judges as far as the use of recanted evidence is concerned.

A statement from ASP said that the assembly “reaffirms its understanding that the amended Rule 68 shall not be applied retroactively.”

The Kenyan Government delegation celebrated the statement, saying that was what the country had been seeking.

However, Foreign Affairs CS Amina Mohamed — who was part of the delegation — said Kenya would only rest easy if the judges implemented the decision.

“We hope the ICC shall respect the powers of the Assembly as an equal governance institution.

ASP must address the crisis brewing within the Rome Statute system. The crisis is occasioned by perceptions of inequality among nations and biased prosecutions,” said Ms Mohamed.