MP wants Uhuru to face new charges at ICC

A member of the National Assembly wants the International Criminal Court (ICC) to start a new case against President Uhuru Kenyatta on crimes against humanity.

Ndhiwa MP Agostino Neto said the withdrawal of President Kenyatta's case was done in a hurry, owing to the fact that ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda had previously requested the court to give her more time to gather more evidence against Uhuru before the case is concluded.

Speaking to The Standard on phone from Netherlands, Neto expressed concern that the prosecutor had earlier complained that the Government of Kenya had declined to co-operate with the court to obtain evidence against Uhuru, yet the situation had not been corrected before the case was concluded.

"Bensouda had informed the court that Kenya was not ready to co-operate with the court in providing information that would enable her obtain evidence against Mr Kenyatta," Neto said.

Neto urged ICC Judges to give the prosecutor more time to look for more evidence so that she could start the case afresh.

At the same time, Rarieda MP Nicholas Gumbo has also faulted the withdrawal of charges against Uhuru at The Hague-based court, saying lack of Government co-operation was the major cause for the collapse of the case.

The legislator said the collapse of the case was expected since the prosecution could not expect co-operation from the same government headed by the accused.

Gumbo said Bensouda would have changed tack in presentation of evidence, instead of relying on the Jubilee Government to furnish her with Uhuru's financial and money transfer records.

The Orange Democratic Movement MP noted by 2007/2008 there was no SIM card registration in Kenya and asking for phone records was bound not to be very helpful with the case.

"She (Bensouda) knew this was impossible since you cannot furnish a court with incriminating evidence to be used against you. We knew the moment he became president it would be hard to get evidence. It's hard to facilitate your own convicting and I would've done the same if I was in the President's shoes," said Gumbo.