Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria sheds light on witness procurement claims by recording statement with CID

Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria has finally recorded a statement with police about his witness procurement claims.

Mr Kuria has said he procured at least five witnesses to testify before the Waki and Kriegler commissions established to probe the disputed 2007 elections.

Yesterday, he spent time with detectives at the Criminal Investigations Department headquarters along Kiambu Road shedding light on his controversial utterances, that the witnesses he procured gave fabricated evidence.

The claims are linked to the ongoing International Criminal Court (ICC) cases against Deputy President William Ruto and journalist Joshua Sang, given that the bogus evidence may have ended up inThe Hague-based court.

Kuria is today expected to meet with ICC prosecution officials as well as Deputy President William Ruto's lawyers.

Accompanied by his lawyer Dunson Mungatana, he said more bogus witnesses may have participated in the Kriegler and Waki commissions but he remembers only five.

"I only remember five. For instance, there was one that I gave Sh2,500 for a hotel room but he insisted that he wanted to go to Rongai to stay with his brother in order to save the money," Kuria said.

The MP added he never made contact with the witnesses after he presented them to the commissions, and only spoke to clear the fact that the Party of National Unity (PNU) won the 2007 elections fairly.

He further clarified that his statement gives a chronology of the 2007 elections, with dates, people, events and other happenings before, during and after the elections cited.

The Director of Public Prosecutions Keriako Tobiko had directed Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet to investigate the matter and forward the file to his office for action.

Kuria also urged former Prime Minister Raila Odinga to stop giving conditions that should be met before he (Raila) became Ruto's witness saying, "I'm expecting people to speak what they know. Why should someone get convicted while you have information?"

He further said Raila should have the moral authority to lead by example by being a witness.

"Raila was part of the government then, so he had access to intelligence tapes and had that access for the last eight years," Kuria said.

Asked why he was speaking now, he claimed he had indeed come out with this information back in 2011 during a Kiss FM interview.