Trial judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC) have decided to hear the entire testimony of the seventeenth prosecution witness in private session. The witness, who goes by the pseudonym “Witness 673,” is testifying in the trial of Kenyan Deputy President William Samoei Ruto and former journalist Joshua arap Sang.
Presiding Judge Chile Eboe-Osuji said on Wednesday that Trial Chamber V(a) had granted the prosecution’s request for Witness 673 to testify in private session.
The trial of Ruto and Sang resumed on Wednesday after one month break. Ruto was present in court as required by an order of Trial Chamber V(a). The trial chamber has allowed Ruto to be absent from most of his trial, except when the court reopens after a recess. The court was on Easter recess last month, and Ruto is expected to be present in court for five days.
Before the break, the last witness to testify was Lars Bromley, an expert who presented to the court and analysis of satellite images taken in January 2008 during the violence that nearly tore apart Kenya after the December 2007 presidential poll. Ruto and Sang are on trial facing three counts of crimes against humanity for their alleged roles in that violence.
Bromley completed his testimony on April 10. He is the Principal Analyst for a program of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research called Operational Satellite Applications Program, or UNOSAT.
This court should be renamed international kangaroo court based at the hague.Whats this so called judges are hiding?if this court is genuine its should have transparency.That egocentric woman prosecutor should behave and change.
I believe the woman prosecuter is not hiding anything.This private hearing sessions could be for the security of the witness due to the sensitivity of what the witness intends to say.