ICC confirms receipt of Azimio petition
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ICC confirms receipt of Azimio petition to probe Kenyan police over its brutality during the nationwide mass demonstrations
ICC confirms receipt of Azimio petition to probe Kenyan police over its brutality during the nationwide mass demonstrations.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) based in the Hague, Netherlands, confirmed receiving Azimio la Umoja’s letter, which demanded a probe into the conduct of the police during mass protests.
According to a report by NTV, the receipt of the petition does not imply that the court will investigate Azimio la Umoja’s claims.
Reports indicated that ICC’s lead prosecutor Karim Khan acknowledged receipt of the letter but had not decided whether to launch investigations.
Implicating the police IG In the letter, the Opposition coalition cited article seven of the Rome Statute saying the police under the instructions of Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome orchestrated and executed a systemic attack on protesters and also the banning of protests a right protected by the constitution of Kenya 2010.
However, the ICC courts procedures dictated that the prosecutor Karim Khan will decide whether to investigate Azimio la Umoja’s claims after a thorough analysis which must also be Investigated by local authorities which in this case are once being accused by Azimio as contravening international law and working in cahoots with the government of the day.
At the moment the office of the prosecutor has declined to comment on the next course of action but should the prosecutor decide that the IG of police is culpable as per Azimio’s claims of crimes against humanity then the ICC would issue a warrant of arrest for the IG and other suspects.
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Kenya being a signatory to the Rome statute must execute the court’s warrant of arrest.
The court also has to investigate Azimio’s claims independently before it arrives at issuing a warrant of arrest.
In particular, the opposition sought the ICC to probe police negligence on the raid of Northlands Farm in Ruiru, Kiambu County – owned by the Kenyatta family – and the destruction of property at East Africa Spectre – linked to Azimio leader Raila Odinga.
Azimio also accused Inspector General Japhet Koome of orchestrating a systematic attack on their supporters during the mass action.
According to the letter, nine people succumbed following the mass demonstrations while scores were injured.
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