Court allows use of visual aids in hearing

By James Mbaka

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has allowed the use of visual aids both for the prosecution and defence counsel in Deputy President William Ruto’s trial.

The case is coming up today at The Hague-based court after a pre-trial conference yesterday. Ruto arrived at The Hague yesterday evening ahead of his trial appearance today.

Presiding Judge Eboe-Osuji of ICC’s Chamber V (a,) hearing the trial for crimes against humanity during the 2007/08 post-election turmoil, said visual aids would be used during opening statements.

He also told the inter-parties pre-trial conference that the chamber preferred a four-week sitting in alternating periods of the judicial calendar with the case facing President Uhuru Kenyatta scheduled to begin November 12.

The judge also said the chamber would go into private sessions whenever requested by either party to safeguard privacy.

Judges of Chamber V (a) Ogla Herrera Carbuccia and Robert Frenr were also present during the pre-trial conference.

And ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda told the conference that the cases against Ruto and journalist Joshua arap Sang would proceed regardless of the status.

Ruto’s lawyer Karim Khan said the degree of certainty in the cases would be questioned.

“I blame former prosecutor Moreno Ocampo for this,” Khan told the pre-trial conference adding that the truth would come out.

“At the end of the trial we will know who was not responsible for the 2007/08 post-election violence,” he stated.

Sang’s lead counsel Joseph Kipchumba Katwa-Kigen submitted that his client has been co-operating with the ICC including staying away from witnesses.

The Legal Representative of the victims Wilfred Nderitu also made a short statement and fielded questions from journalists during the pre-trial conference.