Kenyan ICC witness in Vice President’s trial killed

The mutilated body of the Kenyan national Meshack Yebei was found floating in River Yala in Nandi County, more than 40km from his Sugoi home. He had been reported missing for over a week from the Rift Valley area, not far from Eldoret. According to the family, Yebei’s murder was linked to the possibility he accepted to testify in the ICC (International Criminal Court) trial against Vice President William Ruto.

His family indicated that he had been abducted by unknown gunmen in two vehicles. According to the Kenyan Daily Nation, family members yesterday accused security officers of carrying out shoddy investigations after they reported the abduction. Rights activist Ken Wafula said that despite Yebei being an ICC witness, he was not under the witness protection programme. Wafula claimed the killing was state-sponsored and carried out by “a hit squad out to eliminate ICC witnesses and human rights officials accused of coaching witnesses to testify before the Hague-based court”.

Kenya has been repeatedly accused by the ICC of obstructing investigations into the 2007 post-election violence that left at least 1,000 dead. Both Vice President Ruto and President Uhuru Kenyatta were implicated for roles in the violence, though the case against the Kenyan Head of State was recently dropped by ICC.

Misna