Kenya lawyer accused of corrupting witnesses surrenders to ICC News
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Kenya lawyer accused of corrupting witnesses surrenders to ICC

Dutch authorities Tuesday surrendered Paul Gicheru, a lawyer accused of corrupting witnesses in a case against Kenya’s former vice president, to ICC custody in the Netherlands.

Gicheru surrendered on Monday to authorities pursuant to an arrest warrant that was issued in 2015.  The International Criminal Court alleges that Gicheru and another lawyer, Philip Kipkoech Bett, corruptly influenced six witnesses. Gicheru organized the scheme while Bett took part in it. The two lawyers allegedly corrupted the prosecution’s witnesses through bribes and other methods in exchange for their withdrawal as witnesses or for recanting their prior testimony. To support the corruption allegations, the prosecution has witness statements, transcripts of interviews, official documents and correspondence.

The lawyers represented Kenyan Vice President William Ruto and radio executive Joshua Arap Sang, who were accused of crimes against humanity committed during the 2007-2008 post-election violence in Kenya. The ICC eventually dropped the case.

Philip Kipkoech Bett is not in ICC custody.

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