By Standard Investigation Team

KENYA: Seven new witnesses have been flown out of the country by the International Criminal Court (ICC), which is seeking to strengthen evidence in the post-election violence cases.

ICC investigators have found what they term as new and incriminating evidence from the witnesses, which they will be seeking to include in the evidence already filed before the judges against Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta, Eldoret North MP William Ruto, former Head of Public Service Francis Muthaura, and radio presenter Joshua arap Sang.

Yesterday, The Standard established that the seven new witnesses were interrogated before they were taken to Tanzania and flown out to Europe, last week. The witnesses add to ten the number ICC has flown out since December. In December, they flew out three witnesses.

Sources indicate that two separate groups of investigators have been operating from Uganda and Tanzania crossing into the country regularly to interrogate the witnesses.

Under protection

“They were subjected to intense interrogations by several investigators who established that the witnesses have consistent and reliable information concerning the post-election violence,” said a source close to the investigators.

The source said three Kenyan investigators had been crucial in helping the ICC get the new witnesses and convinced them to testify if called upon to do so.

“The new witnesses accepted to give the evidence and that is why they have been placed under protection just like the others already taken out of the country for safety,” said the source. The ICC had last December flown two other new witnesses out of the country. The witnesses are linked to the Kiambaa Church incident where people, among them women and children, were burnt to death.

More details

Uhuru, Ruto, Muthaura and Sang are facing charges at the ICC in connection with the violence that left more than 1,300 people dead and another half a million displaced.

The cases will come up for hearing from April 11, soon after the General Election in which Uhuru and Ruto are contesting for President and Deputy respectively through the Jubilee Alliance.

In the new evidence from the witnesses are further details on the Kiambaa KAG Church fire on January 1, 2008 where more than 35 people were killed.