William Ruto, who has ambitions to run for president, Henry Kosgey, former industrialisation minister, and Joshua Arap Sang, a broadcaster, attended the first of two sets of confirmation of charges hearings at the International Criminal Court — which may try Libya’s fugitive Muammar Gaddafi if he is caught.
This month’s hearings will determine whether a total of six high-profile Kenyan politicians and senior officials should stand trial for crimes against humanity related to Kenya’s election violence, including murder, rape and forcible transfer of people.
More than 1,220 people were killed in tribal violence after Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki was declared the winner of a presidential election in 2007 that was marred by alleged vote-rigging.
“Mr Ruto, Mr Kosgey and Mr Sang are individually responsible for a widespread and systematic attack against civilians in Kenya’s Rift Valley Province,” Luis Moreno-Ocampo, the ICC chief prosecutor, told the court.
“These massive crimes are a Kenyan problem…but they are not just a Kenyan problem. These are some of the most serious crimes of concern to the international community as a whole.”
Moreno-Ocampo said that his evidence showed that the crimes were carefully planned and organised by Ruto and Kosgey “with a goal to gain political power”.
He told the court that Ruto and Kosgey had capitalised on existing tensions in the region, providing weapons and bombs, and promising money and land as rewards to those who took part in the rioting.
Their aim, he said, was to drive Kibaki supporters out of some towns in the Rift Valley using a network of politicians, media representatives, financiers, tribal elders, local leaders and former members of the security forces.