Walter Barasa slams DPP Tobiko over extradition

By WILFRED AYAGA

Kenya: Former journalist Walter Barasa yesterday launched a scathing attack on Director of Public Prosecutions Keriako Tobiko over his stand regarding his extradition proceedings.

Mr Barasa claimed the DPP was abdicating his role as a defender of public interest by supporting extradition proceedings against him.

Through his lawyer Kibe Mungai, Barasa said Tobiko’s stand on three people who have sworn affidavits opposing his extradition to The Hague ignored fundamental issues regarding his case.

“The DPP has disregarded the affidavits of the three witnesses, yet they raise serious allegations that should not be ignored. It will even be more serious if the court allows him to get away with it,” said Kibe.

The three, Simon Kipkolum Rotich, Samuel Kimeli Kosgei and another who refers to himself as P-0336, claim to be former witnesses at the International Criminal Court (ICC) and have opposed Barasa’s extradition on grounds that he will not be subjected to a fair trial by that court.

They claim they were victims of intimidation by ICC officials who were keen to have their testimony on the trials of Deputy President William Ruto and former radio journalist Joshua arap Sang.

Kibe said the DPP should have paid more attention to the contents of the affidavits by the three alleged witnesses.