Another ICC witness in DP William Ruto’s case recants statement

NAIROBI, KENYA: Another witness has disowned his statement against Deputy President William Ruto, claiming it was given to him by the International Criminal Court (ICC) investigators.

And for the second time, the court heard claims of a woman having recruited witnesses to fabricate evidence against Mr Ruto and radio journalist Joshua Sang.

Witness 405, who began testifying Wednesday, said he was given the typed statement and asked to put it in his own handwriting to make it look authentic.

He claimed to have been linked to the investigators by a woman who asked him to co-operate with them.

The woman also allegedly promised the witness financial support if he agreed to sign the prepared statements.

"When I met her we talked at length about the statement and the investigators' call. I asked what would be given to me in return because I am poor and wanted to be rich and she told me everything would be offered to me," claimed the witness.

The witness was the second to testify from Nairobi through video link to the ICC in The Hague. He was the 23rd witness to testify before Trial Chamber V(a) and the second to recant his statement in court.

Witness 405 said he met the woman in August 2012 and was called by the investigators in November of the same year at an undisclosed place outside the country.

But the witness was at pains to explain the disparities between the dates he claimed to have signed the statement and those on the document itself.