05.10.11 - ICC/KENYA II - END OF CONFIRMATION OF CHARGES HEARINGS IN TOP KENYAN OFFICIALS CASE

The Hague, October 5, 2011 (FH) - Confirmation of charges hearings of Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta, Head of Civil Service Francis Muthaura and former Police Chief Mohamed Hussein Ali ended on Wednesday before the International Criminal Court (ICC).

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Speaking for the Office of the Prosecutor, Adesola Adeboyajo asserted that the three men conspired and orchestrated attacks against civilians - using Mungiki criminal gang - in reprisals to violence perpetrated by Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) militants in the aftermath of the 2007 Kenyan Presidential election.

Defendants strongly denied the charges during the twelve-day hearings, claiming accusations were "ludicrous" and " vague".

Adesola Adeboyajo reminded the judges that the proceedings did not request a full investigation and tried to disqualify the defence witnesses, stating their "relationship with the suspects hardly qualified them as independent witnesses".

Kenyatta's Defence counsel Steven Kay urged the judges to look at the evidence "fairly and dispassionately". He blamed the Prosecutor for ignoring Mr Kenyatta's alibi, stressing that "an investigation requires you to look where the suspect was and what he did".

General Ali's Defence counsel Gregory Kerohe then took the stand to wonder why all the police reports given to the court as exhibits had not been taken into account : « How in light of all of that, do we find us here? There is no phone call from ambassador Muthaura to general Ali, to allow the Mungiki to go to the Rift valley". General Ali "saved his country from anarchy", he concluded.

Bulgarian Presiding judge Ekaterina Trendafilova closed the hearings with a warning to Kenyan people, asking them "to respect the life, security and property of victims and witnesses in the two Kenya cases and to be mindful by the fact that witnesses have performed their civic duty".

A decision on the holding of a trial is expected before Christmas.

 SM/GF  
 
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