Azimio petitions ICC to probe IG Koome over police excesses during protests
Opposition leader Raila Odinga's Azimio la
Umoja One Kenya coalition party has written to the International Criminal Court
(ICC) calling for the pre-trial chamber to authorise investigations into Kenya's
political situation.
In a letter addressed to the Hague-based
court in Netherlands on Friday, Azimio legal representative in the case Paul Mwangi
wants the ICC Prosecutor to open a file against Police Inspector General Japhet
Koome over what the coalition describes as “his express orders to police” to
kill and maim opposition protestors.
In the letter, Mwangi says: “Japhet Koome has
abrogated the constitutional rights of members of Azimio la Umoja One Kenya
coalition party and contravened the Constitution of Kenya by usurping powers of
the Judiciary and pronouncing a ban against any exercise of the rights under Article
37 by members the coalition party.”
Azimio claims that on April 3, 2023 at 1630
hours, at around the Pipeline area of Embakasi South constituency in Nairobi
city, a contingent of police officers approached the motor vehicle in which coalition
party leader Odinga was being ferried in and fired approximately ten rounds of
live ammunition with a clear intention to kill him.
“During the period in question, the special
squad set up by the suspect, Japhet Koome and other police officers under the
general command of the suspect have killed and maimed innocent Kenyans while
they were exercising their rights under Article 37,” read the letter.
The opposition camp further listed nine
people that it claims were killed by police officers during the protests in various
parts of the country, as well as at least 20 other people that it claims were
injured by the men and women in blue.
Lawyer Mwangi concludes the letter to the ICC
by saying: “For these reasons Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition party hereby
requests that the Prosecutor submits this information to the pre-trial chamber
for authorization for an investigation.”
Azimio says that it took the decision to
write to the ICC since Kenya is a party to the Rome Statute having signed it on
August 11, 1999 and ratified it on March 15, 2005.
Want to send us a story? Submit on Wananchi Reporting on the Citizen Digital App or Send an email to wananchi@royalmedia.co.ke or Send an SMS to 25170 or WhatsApp on 0743570000
Comments
No comments yet.
Leave a Comment