Witness says he was promised Ksh.10M to withdraw from Ruto-Sang ICC case

A witness on Tuesday told the International Criminal Court (ICC) that he was offered Ksh.10 million, land, and a fully constructed house to recant his testimony before investigators in the William Ruto-Joshua arap Sang case within which lawyer Paul Gicheru is implicated.

The witness said he was approached by a fellow witness who had also withdrawn his evidence and who introduced him to the individuals who then offered him the bribe.

The prosecution witness, the eighth since the case facing Gicheru kicked off mid-February, made the damning allegations before presiding Judge Miatta Maria Samba.

Anton Steinberg, the Prosecutor asked: “If I understand you correctly, then the final reward that was agreed upon was Ksh.10 million, 6 acres of land and what you call a developed plot?”

To which the witness responded; “Your honor, Yes.”

Steinberg again questioned; “As regards the money, the Ksh.10 million, according to your understanding or the discussion, how was that to be paid?

The witness stated: “Your honor, the payment was to be made in lumpsum.”

The witness whose image and voice were distorted to protect his identity further claimed he was warned against banking the money to avoid any trails.

The witness revealed that out of the Ksh.10 million reward, he had only received Ksh.2 million.

In his statement, the prosecution witness added that during meetings he was often given smaller sums of money which they indicated were not part of the Ksh.10 million but "tea": in this case, he was given Ksh.500, 000.

The witness was also put to task to explain why in his later statement he had claimed ICC investigators had coached him to implicate Ruto and Sang.

Lawyer Paul Gicheru is accused of being the link to the witnesses where he orchestrated their recanting of evidence to scuttle the Ruto-Sang case.

He is facing 8 charges including witness bribery and intimidation.