Monday, November 22, 2010

Bribed Witnesses Recant Testimony in Kenya Election Case


Bribed Witnesses Recant in Kenya Post Election Violence, Rape, Murder

Atlas covered the unspeakable violence following the loss of Obama-supported, sharia-promoting Raila Odinga in the Kenyan presidential election back in 2008. Obama opposed our American ally, President Kibaki, and supported his pal, Raila Odinga, who used rape as a weapon. Odinga tore through the country using murder and rape as his weapons of choice. Justice Minister Martha Karua said that Odinga's group (Orange Democratic Movement) had planned to carry out systematic ethnic cleansing.
Odinga's 'opposition party' was opposed to democracy and free elections, and refused to accept the result of the national election. Raila Odinga rejected a presidential invitation for talks. Instead, he hoped to sow the seeds of violent civil war.

Further, Atlas was one of the first outlets to report that Odinga had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Muslim community of Kenya to institute sharia law should he win.
The deadly combination of Odinga's blood strikes against the people of Kenya and Obama's tacit support led to a "power sharing deal" that resulted in Rail Odinga being named Prime Minister.

And this unholy alliance brought sharia law to Kenya, the once shining becon of democracy on the dark continent. Another Obama rout. Read Atlas coverage on Obama and Odinga here (scroll).

The International Criminal Court investigating the post-election bloodshed will not use testimony from three witnesses who were bribed to provide false evidence against a "prominent politician."

One of the organization's commissioners, Hassan Omar Hassan, coached and coerced them to name Ruto in their statements.

'Bribed' witnesses will not testify in Kenya case
By Mike Corder Associated Press / November 17, 2010

THE HAGUE, Netherlands—International Criminal Court investigators probing the postelection violence in Kenya will not use testimony from three witnesses who claim they were bribed to provide false evidence against a prominent politician, the court's prosecutor said Wednesday.

Luis Moreno Ocampo also said he is aware of attempts to intimidate or bribe potential witnesses in the case and has informed Kenyan authorities.

Moreno Ocampo's written statement did not name the politician, but it came days after the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights said that Kenya's former higher education minister, William Ruto, should be investigated for allegedly persuading three men in a witness protection program to recant statements they made implicating him in the violence that erupted in late 2007 and 2008 after Kenyan elections.

Ruto was higher education minister until last month. He recently traveled to The Hague in an attempt to clear his name as investigators prepare to indict suspects before the end of the year.

Moreno Ocampo has said the killing of more than 1,000 people along with instances of rape and forced deportation after the election amount to crimes against humanity, and he expects to charge up to six suspects who bear the greatest responsibility.

In April, Moreno Ocampo said he had a list of 20 possible suspects that included leaders of President Mwai Kibaki's Party of National Unity and Prime Minister Raila Odinga's Orange Democratic Movement.

It was well known at the time that Odinga led the bloodshed.

Moreno Ocampo's statement Wednesday appeared to be an attempt to reassure Kenyans that the world's first permanent war crimes tribunal will not be fooled by false witnesses and will deal impartially with the politically charged case.

"The judicial process will show respect for the victims, respect for the law and also respect for the suspects," he said, pledging that those most responsible "will face justice."

Upon returning from his talks with the court in The Hague, Ruto claimed the Kenyan human rights commission bribed witnesses to implicate him. The day after Ruto returned, the three men who had earlier cooperated with the government-funded commission signed sworn statements recanting the allegations they had made against Ruto.

They claimed one of the organization's commissioners, Hassan Omar Hassan, coached and coerced them to name Ruto in their statements.

But Hassan said what the men claimed as bribes are standard payments for the commission's witness protection program. He said Ruto may be trying to derail the ICC process by discrediting potential witnesses.
Atlas Shrugs

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