ICC suspect Lawyer Paul Gicheru found dead at Karen home

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NAIROBI, Kenya Sep 26 – International Criminal Court (ICC) witness lawyer Paul Gicheru has been found dead in his house in Nairobi.

Police and family say he is believed to have collapsed and died but no further details were provided.

Gicheru surrendered to Hague authorities in November 2020 after evading an arrest warrant issued in March 2015 for years.

The witnesses Gicheru is said to have improperly engaged witnesses in the case against Deputy President William Ruto, journalist Joshua Arap Sang terminated in April 2016, and Henry Kosgey in whose respect the court declined to confirm charges in January 2012.

The case was terminated about a year after a similar suit against President Uhuru Kenyatta was discontinued in March 2015.

Other Kenyans who faced charges of crimes against humanity at the ICC alongside Kenyatta, Ruto, Sang and Kosgei were Francis Muthaura and police chief Mohammed Ali.

The prosecution, during its opening remarks, explained how Gicheru tried to bribe and intimidate prosecution witnesses, so as to withdraw their assistance from the court.

The prosecution said they will be presenting evidence of phone records and transactions to confirm that Gicheru acted to prevent witnesses from testifying and coerced them to recant their statements.

The Kenyan lawyer is accused of offences against the administration of justice by corruptly influencing witnesses of the Court.

Lawyer Paul Gicheru who was a suspect at the International Criminal Court is dead.

Gicheru was found dead in his Karen home on Monday night.

Police said that Gicheru was found dead with the cause of death yet to be known.

“He had late lunch and felt unwell and went to bed but he did not wake up,” police said.

Police said he was found unresponsive at about 7 pm.

“His son too collapsed and was taken to Karen hospital in stable condition,” police added.

The cause of death is still unknown.

Police arrived at scene later and announced a probe had been opened.

The family said they will address media on Tuesday even as Journalists were stopped at his gate.

Gicheru surrendered to the ICC on November 2, 2020, pursuant to an arrest warrant issued on March 10, 2015, by Pre-Trial Chamber II of the ICC.

The Kenyan lawyer was accused of offences against the administration of justice by corruptly influencing witnesses of the Court.

He allegedly bribed witnesses to either recant their testimonies or refuse to testify in the crimes against humanity case that faced President William Ruto and former journalist Joshua Sang.

Cases against the two were officially terminated in April 2016 after they were found to have no case to answer.

According to the prosecution, Gicheru offered bribes and other inducements, in exchange for withdrawal as witnesses or recantation of their prior statements to the prosecution.

Gicheru’s trial opened on February 15, he however pleaded not guilty to all charges. Eight witnesses testified for the prosecution.

The office of the prosecutor completed its presentation of evidence on March 29. The defence announced on April 25, that it will not present any evidence.

In March 2015, a warrant of arrest was issued against Gicheru and another Kenyan Philip Kipkoech Bett for allegedly corrupting witnesses.