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Raila reveals names of 10 murdered ‘ICC witnesses’


Cord leader Raila Odinga has made public the names of 10 would-be ICC witnesses whom he claims were systematically eliminated.

Mr Odinga made the revelation during the requiem mass of slain Nairobi businessman Jacob Juma, which was held on Thursday at the All Saints Cathedral in Nairobi.

“There is a system, a way of life and a philosophy in this country that believes in murders; that produces murderers in Kenya; that believes, wrongly, in extra-judicial killings as the way to sort out differences and eliminate competition; real or imagined,” said Mr Odinga.

“That philosophy has claimed many lives from independence to date. In the aftermath of the Post-Election Violence, a chain of would be witnesses were systematically eliminated through extra-judicial killings.”

The people he claimed were systematically eliminated are:

1. Charles Ndungu Wagacha

2. Maina Diambo

3. Naftali Irungu alias “Marcus”

4. Anthony Mwenje alias “Noriega”

5. Njoroge Gichere

6. Timothy Mburu Gatira

7. Njuguna Gitau Njuguna

8. George Njoroge Wagacha alias “Afco”

9. Meshack Yebei

10. John Kituyi.

The two cases at the ICC against Deputy President William Ruto and former radio journalist Joshua arap Sang were terminated early last month with the prosecution citing unprecedented witness interference by the defence.

Nairobi News could however not independently verify that the 10 were potential ICC witnesses.

HEAVY CRITICISM

At the same time, the government came under heavy criticism for the murder of Mr Juma.

Speaker after speaker at the slain businessman’s memorial service, including Mr Juma’s widow, Miriam, faulted the government for the murder.

While eulogizing her husband, Miriam described the assassination as “bitter and hurting”.

“I was waiting for him at home that evening (when he died) and he didn’t turn up. Nobody came to inform me, even the Police. I only got to know about this when I got to school with my kids. Upto today, no police has come to me. So when I hear there is investigations (unravel the death), I don’t understand,” she said.

Government officials were conspicuously absent at the event which was attended by top opposition leaders including Cord co-principles Kalonzo Musyoka and Moses Wetangula, Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale and former Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo.