Narc Kenya Party Leader Martha Karua has questioned International Criminal Court’s (ICC) credibility after Prosecutor Karim Khan, Ruto’s former lawyer visited the country.
On 6 August, Martha Karua took to her twitter questioning what ICC prosecutor Karim Khan’s visit to Kenya may mean after both Azimio and Kenya Kwanza regime wrote to ICC over mass killings during anti-government protests.
“ICC prosecutor Karim Khan hosting in Kenya this weekend by Mt Kenya University and its founder a friend of his former client President Wiiliam Ruto at a time both the Azimio and Kenya Kwanza regime have written to ICC on the situation in the country, especially the killing spree of unarmed protesters by police is not only suspect but also a blot of credibility of ICC” Martha Karua’s tweet reads.
Raila’s letter to ICC
On 14 April Azimio la Umoja wrote to the ICC seeking to have it open investigations into the political situation in Kenya.
Through a letter penned by lawyer Paul Mwangi, who is former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s lawyer, Azimio accused President William Ruto of contempt for the Constitution and Laws of Kenya as well as contempt for democracy and its institutions.
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Furthermore, the Dutch-based Lawyer cited nine issues including targeted attacks on protesters, for which he sought ICC’s intervention to restore order in the country.
In the letter, Azimio accused Inspector General of Police Japheth Koome of forming a rogue police unit to target its supporters during demonstrations.
Moreover, the lawyer went ahead to list eight local journalists and their contacts and nine protesters he alleged were killed by police during the protests including twenty others who were injured.
Other issues raised by Mwangi in his letter include allegations of the existence of a special squad of rogue police officers and the unconstitutional banning of demonstrations.
Similarly, the lawyer claimed there was a plan to assassinate Raila during the last demonstration at Embakasi, Nairobi.
“Police officers approached the motor vehicle in which Raila was being ferried and fired ten rounds of live ammunition with a clear intention to kill him,” it states.
“Prior to this assassination attempt, the Deputy President of the Republic of Kenya had publicly stated that it was necessary that Raila be “dealt with” and “removed” permanently.” The letter further reads.
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Ruto’s Letter to ICC
President William Ruto’s lawyer on July 28, asked the ICC to investigate and prosecute Azimio la Umoja leader Raila Odinga over the anti-government protests.
Adrian Kamotho, representing Victims of Maandamano Insurgents (VMI), in his letter to ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan, claimed that the anti-government demonstrations were driven by mayhem, vandalism, looting, terror, and destruction of property.
“We are instructed to respectfully draw your attention to grave humanitarian atrocities and war crimes perpetrated against our clients that fall at the heart of your mandate as delineated by the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.” The letter reads in part.
“Our clients are compellingly persuaded that a time has come for the Office of the Prosecutor to take decisive steps in consonance with Article 15 of the Rome Statute to redress acute humanitarian transgressions and war crimes being perpetrated with impunity by Hon. Raila Odinga, a former prime minister,” Kamotho requested.
He also accused former President Uhuru Kenyatta of declining to retire and engaging in an extremist political overdrive.
Kamotho implored Khan to unearth alleged ill motives concealed by the Handshake brothers towards the Republic of Kenya, arguing that they devised their sinister plots after losing the August 2022 Presidential Election to President William Ruto.
Kamotho implored Khan to unearth alleged ill motives concealed by the Handshake brothers towards the Republic of Kenya, arguing that they devised their sinister plots after losing the August 2022 Presidential Election to President William Ruto.
