The International Criminal Court (ICC) has revealed that Deputy President William Ruto is the 'big guy' who bribed witnesses in the crimes against humanity prosecution that he is facing.
The Hague-based court delivered this startling disclosure on Tuesday, when the international court heard the case against Kenyan lawyer Paul Gicheru.
During the court session, the prosecution presented testimony from witnesses who said that DP Ruto offered them a payment of Sh 1.5 million each person to retract their testimony in his case through emissaries.
Witness P-800 stated that it all began when witness P-540 approached him and informed him that the big man, DP Ruto, had given him a bribe of KSh 1.5 million.
"P-540 then informed me that the big guy had given him KSh 1.5 million plus costs to join his squad and withdraw from the ICC lawsuit against him."
"P-540 then requested me to accept the identical offer of KSh 1.5 million that the big guy had approved on the condition that I remove myself as an ICC witness," the witness's comments were recounted in court by Senior Trial Lawyer Anton Steynberg.
"I digress to note," he said, "that the witness further explained that he and P-540 used to refer to William Ruto as the big guy."
The prosecution also informed the court that the witness admitted to receiving money from Ruto through his lawyer, Paul Gicheru.
As stated by Steynberg in the ICC, "P-0540 told me that Gicheru, Simotwo, who I believe is in charge of Amaco Insurance (which I believe is controlled by Ruto), and an ex-ambassador Stephen Tarus are all working for Ruto to seek Kenyan witnesses."
The hearing began on Tuesday in The Hague, Netherlands, before ICC Judge Miatta Maria Samba, 15 months after Gicheru handed himself in.
Gicheru is accused of perverting the course of justice by corruptly influencing eight witnesses in the case of Ruto and Joshua Sang, which originated from post-election violence in 2007.
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