The International Criminal Court has conferred charges against Kenyan lawyer Paul Gicheru who will now stand trial over alleged witness tampering.
The ICC, in a statement on Thursday, said Judge Reine Adelaide Sophie Alapini Gansou of the pre-trial chamber reached the decision after going through evidence and submission presented by both the prosecution and their Defense.
"Specifically, with relation to eight witnesses, Mr Gicheru and other members of the common plan allegedly identified, located, and contacted the witnesses, offered and/or paid them financial or other benefits, and/or threatened or intimidated them, in order to induce them to withdraw as Prosecution witnesses, refuse to or cease cooperating with the Prosecution and/or the Court, and/or to recant the evidence which they had provided to the Prosecution,” read the statement.
“The decision on the confirmation of the charges only serves to determine whether the Prosecutor’s case should proceed to trial. It does not establish the guilt of the accused person, who is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt by a trial chamber of the Court.”
ICC believed lawyer Gicheru committed the offense against the administration of justice in order to underestimate the case against Deputy President William Ruto and Radio Journalist Joshua Arap Sang.
Gicheru surrendered himself to the ICC on November 2, 2020 five years after a warrant of arrest was issued against him and Philip Kipkoech Bett for what the court termed "offenses against the administration of justice consisting of corruptly influencing the witnesses."
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