Thursday, November 5, 2020 – ICC Prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, has welcomed the surrender of Kenyan lawyer Paul Gicheru and his transfer to the custody of the International Criminal Court.
In a statement, Bensouda stated that after Gicheru’s surrender, the court’s judicial proceedings would now follow in accordance with the requirements of the Rome Statute.
“I call on the Kenyan authorities to fulfill their obligations under the Rome Statute to ensure the surrender of the remaining two suspects to the custody of the Court, so that their guilt or innocence on the charges against them may be determined in a court of law,” read the statement.
The prosecutor urged the Government of Kenya to go after Gicheru’s co-accused Philip Kipkoech Bett and Walter Osapiri Barasa.
Bensouda added that she was grateful for the cooperation of all those who contributed to the successful detention of the lawyer.
Gicheru is expected to appear before the Court’s Pre-Trial Chamber II and will be without his lawyer John Khaminwa.
Khaminwa has written to the ICC requesting the court not to detain his client due to his health condition.
It is not quite clear what pushed the suspect to surrender 5 years after an arrest warrant was issued against him despite him having a medical condition and enjoying freedom in Kenya.
But according to Gicheru’s wife, the decision to quietly fly to The Netherlands was reached by the family, adding that her husband was prepared to face his charges.
E! News Blog
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