Man claims life is in danger over alleged ICC link

Uasin Gishu, Kenya: A man in Turbo, Uasin Gishu County, claims his life is in danger over claims that he is an International Criminal Court (ICC) witness.

Uasin Gishu County Police Commander Nyaga Muchungu said Richard Kemboi, who vied for the Turbo parliamentary seat in the last elections, reported he had received calls from unknown people claiming they will kill him for his relationship with the ICC.

“After getting his side of the story I ordered for immediate investigation,” said Muchungu. Mr Kemboi reported the matter on Tuesday. Kemboi claimed he was living in fear despite the fact that he has never been contacted by the court.

Kemboi’s claims come barely a few days after a badly mutilated body of Meshack Yebei, who was alleged be in the list of the ICC as a defence witness, was discovered in Yala River near Kapsabet a week after he was reported missing. Speaking to the Press in Eldoret on Wednesday, Kemboi denied he was a  witness at The Hague, terming such assertions as false.

False information

He said there are some individuals in Turbo who he suspects of spreading propaganda about him.

“I am guessing some of these people are giving false information about me because of lack of money. It’s good for one to say the truth rather than planting or giving out wrong information against your own people. But it’s good that I have already informed the police about the issue,” he added.

Muchungu warned those giving false information against others that they will be prosecuted if found culpable.

This comes a day after Ruto’s lawyer Karim Khan wrote to the Criminal Investigations Department, demanding thorough investigations into Yebei’s killing.

In his two-page letter, Khan told CID boss Ndegwa Muhoro: “As I indicated when we spoke, I am able to confirm to you that Meshack Yebei was a defence witness in the case against William Ruto at the International Criminal Court in the Hague.”

The Director of Public Prosecutions Keriako Tobiko has since directed Muhoro to investigate the murder and submit findings to him.

In a statement, ICC said Yebei was neither on the prosecution witness list nor was he in contact with its staff at the time of abduction.

“While local authorities are conducting further examination, the family of Yebei has confirmed the identity of his body. We express our profound condolences to the family,” stated ICC Registrar Herman von Hebel.