• The Chamber was satisfied that the accused understood the nature of the charges.
• The Court's Deputy Prosecutor James Stewart, Senior Trial Lawyer Anton Steynberg and trial lawyer Alice Zago took the floor for opening statements
Image: FILE
Kenyan lawyer Paul Gicheru has pleaded not guilty to charges of corruptly influencing witnesses regarding a case involving deputy president William Ruto.
The trial began before Judge Miatta Maria Samba of Trial Chamber III of the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Tuesday.
Gicheru is accused of offences against the administration of justice in a case where Ruto was linked to crimes against humanity.
The Ruto case was vacated in 2016 over insufficient evidence. The ICC, however, declined to acquit him.
The trial started with the reading of the charges against Gicheru.
The Chamber was satisfied that the accused understood the nature of the charges.
The accused pleaded not guilty to all the charges preferred against him.
The Court's Deputy Prosecutor James Stewart, Senior Trial Lawyer Anton Steynberg and trial lawyer Alice Zago took the floor for opening statements.
The first prosecution witness also started testifying with the defence deciding not to present any statements at this point of the proceedings.
Due to the current situation linked to Covid-19, the public gallery was open to a limited number of representatives of the media, the diplomatic community and the public.
Gicheru surrendered to the authorities of The Netherlands in November 2020 pursuant to an ICC arrest warrant issued under seal on March 10, 2015.
His first appearance before the Court took place on November 6, 2020.
On February 1, 2021, he was released to Kenya with specific conditions restricting his liberty.
On July 15, 2021, ICC Pre-Trial Chamber A confirmed the charges of offences against the administration of justice brought by the Prosecutor against Gicheru and committed him to trial.