Court stops Paul Gicheru's extradition to ICC in witness bribery case

"Gicheru and lawyer Philip Kipkoech Bett have been fighting warrants issued by the ICC on March 10, 2015." /FILE

The High Court has dismissed an application seeking the extradition of lawyer Paul Gicheru to the ICC.
The lawyer was to face charges of bribing witnesses at the International Criminal Court. This followed the dismissal of crimes against humanity cases against President Uhuru Kenyatta and DP William Ruto.
But Justice Luka Kimaru said on Thursday that the application for surrender did not meet certain international conditions.
"The application filed by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution on May 28, 2015 lacks merit and cannot stand," the judge said.
Kimaru also lifted the warrant for Gicheru's arrest.
Gicheru and lawyer Philip Kipkoech Bett have been fighting warrants issued by the ICC on March 10, 2015
Director of Public Prosecutions Keriako Tobiko later sought to enforce the warrants before the High Court.
The warrant was issued after Pre-Trial Chamber II cited reasonable grounds to hold the two criminally responsible for offences against the administration of justice, by trying to influence prosecution witnesses.
It is alleged they bribed or attempted to bribe six witnesses between April and September 2013. It was also said they they offered the witnesses between Sh500,000 and Sh5 million so they could withdraw from the case.
These are offences under Article 70 of the Rome Statute.