MP Moses Kuria offers to become DP Ruto’s witness at the ICC

Gatundu South MP has allegedly accepted to be a defence witness in the case facing Deputy President William Ruto and radio journalist Joshua Arab Sang at the Hague.

In lettersin our position, though not independently verifiable, Kuria said that he was ready to testify in favour of the DP in a case where he (Ruto) is accused of perpetrating the 2007/08 post election violence in which over 1,300 people were killed and over 600,000 others forced from their homes.

According to email conversation with Ruto and Sang’s defence teams, Kuria expressed willingness to be part of the defence witness in the ICC cases to confirm his claims of coaching the witnesses.

“We have been following your recent public statements, as reported in the Kenyan press, concerning the ICC case against Mr William Ruto and Mr Joshua Sang,” read one of the letters from Ruto’s defence.

“We are interested in interviewing you with a view to you potentially being a Defence witness in this case. “

Kuria gave a positive response to the requests, though requesting for a change of date claiming he is engaged on the suggested dates.

“I have no objection meeting you and the defence team of H.E William Ruto, However due to prior planned commitments I am only available on the 12th and 13th October 2015,” Kuria responded.

“Regarding your request for me to appear as a witness for the defence, I confirm hereby acceptance of the same. You may now feel free to list me as your witness,” he added.

He further confirmed that he had not received any other request to testify in the case except from Sang’s defence team, which he intends to comply with.

He also noted that he is scheduled to have an interview with a team from the Office of the Prosecutor in view of expounding on his allegations on coaching of witnesses to fix Ruto and Sang.

The new revelation comes a day after the TNA MP confessed to paying witnesses used in the ICC case Ksh 2,000 to give false testimony.

Speaking during a prayer session for Ruto and Sang over the ICC cases, Kuria claimed that the witnesses being used by the ICC were the ones used in the making of the Kriegler and Waki reports in 2011 and were paid Ksh2,000 to give false testimony.

Kuria perplexing pronouncements on the on-going ICC cases began last month when he claimed that CORD leader Raila Odinga and Narc Kenya party leader Martha Kuria helped fixed Ruto and Sang at the ICC.

In his speech, Kuria said that both PNU and ODM wings of the Grand Coalition government wrote letter to the ICC pointing fingers and the rival camp for the 2007/08 post-election violence. Ruto was then a member of the Pentagon in ODM.

Kuria claimed that PNU members led by himself and Martha Karua wrote letters blaming Ruto for the violence, allegations he now claims were politically instigated.

He further stated that the then ODM Secretary General Anyang Nyong’o, on behalf of ODM party leader Raila Odinga, wrote to the office to oppose efforts by PNU leaders to have the cases tried locally, instead preferring trials at the international court.

His sentiments have led to a sharp retraction from Raila Odinga Anyang Nyong’o and Martha Kuria.

Karua has since sued Kuria for defamation calling on the court to stop the Gatundu South MP from making further allegations linking Karua to the ICC cases.