Raila Odinga warned of massive bloodshed and William Ruto slapped Samuel Kivuitu, ICC told

                        International criminal court      PHOTO; COURTESY

BY WAHOME THUKU

THE HAGUE: Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga warned of massive bloodshed if he was not declared winner of the 2007 presidential elections, a witness claimed on Monday.

The female Prosecution witness told the International Criminal Court (ICC) that she watched Mr Raila on television threatening that the Mediterranean and the Red seas would be filled with blood if he was not declared winner.

And for the second time, the witness maintained that she saw Deputy President William Ruto slap the then Electoral Commission (ECK) Chairman Samuel Kivuitu during a bitter exchange over the presidential results.

She claimed that Mr Ruto, then an ODM luminary, slapped the late Kivuitu at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC) on December 29, 2007 a day before the results were announced. But Ruto denied the allegations.

The witness was testifying in the trial of Ruto and radio journalist Joshua Sang in The Hague, Netherlands. Cross examined by Ruto’s lawyer Leigh Lawrie, the witness said after Raila had uttered the warning on December 30, 2007, he (Raila) started crying.

Ms Lawrie: You are mistaken in your collection. Mr Odinga never said those words.

Witness: I’m not mistaken. He said the two seas would join in bloodshed and then started crying.

Ms Lawrie: Was he crying tears?

Witness: I saw him on TV crying tears.

Ms Lawrie: Madam, our position is that Mr Odinga only referred to a Tsunami and that there would be great support for ODM. Would you agree you are mistaken?

Witness: No. I am not mistaken.

The witness maintained that Ruto slapped Kivuitu even after being shown video clips recordings of the commotion at the KICC that day.

The clips show Ruto calmly addressing Kivuitu asking him to wait for an ODM agent to come and confirm that rigging was going on in parts of the country. It then showed a shouting match between PNU and ODM supporters in the hall.

The witness said the defence had not included the recording of Ruto slapping Kivuitu, which she had watched on TV.

Judge Osuji: With exception of that, would you say everything else was part of what you saw on TV on that date?

Witness: I can only remember the slapping point, the rest I can’t recall.

kivuitu remarks

She said after the incidence, Kivuitu said; “I came to the world one day and will die one day. I won’t announce the results.”

She claimed that politicians James Orengo and Martha Karua were present when it happened.

Ms Lawrie: Madam, are you aware that Karua has never made any allegation that Ruto hit Kivuitu at KICC?

Witness: Even in my statement, I never mentioned that Karua said it. It’s me who saw it with my eyes.

Ms Lawrie: Are you aware Kivuitu never made any allegation against Mr Ruto?

Witness: I have said in my statement

Ms Lawrie: We say at no time did Ruto hit Kivuitu and what you have told the court is not true.

Witness: I’m speaking the truth. It was on a Saturday 29, December.

Ms Lawrie: Did you ever read anything about this incident in the newspapers?

Witness: I have not said I read it in my statement. I said I watched on TV.

The witness concluded her evidence yesterday. Next on the stand will be an expert witness to testify today. He was said to be on his way to The Hague on Monday.