Kenyan Journalist Set To Join Joshua Sang at The Hague! Arrest Warrant Issued! Check Out The Arrest Warrant Here!
After Ghafla broke the news about the I.C.C reflecting on whether or not to issue an arrest warrant for the journalist responsible for the leak of the identity of witness 536, it would seem they have decided to proceed with the course of action and they have now decided to issue an arrest warrant.
And the journalist in question, Walter Baraza had previously scoffed at the warning shots fired by I.C.C but I think reality just snuck up behind him and has bitten him in the buttocks because he now needs to shop around for a lawyer and I doubt he can afford highly rated lawyers of the calibre employed by both the president and his deputy.
This is the statement the I.C.C has issued on the same:
Today, 2 October 2013, Pre-Trial Chamber II of the International Criminal Court (ICC) unsealed anarrest warrantagainst Walter Osapiri Barasa, Kenyan citizen, born in 1972. He is charged with several offences against the administration of justice including corruptly influencing or attempting to corruptly influence ICC witnesses. An under seal warrant of arrest was issued against him on 2 August 2013. This is the first case before the ICC where a suspect is charged with an offence against the administration of justice, in accordance with article 70 of the Rome Statute.
Judge Cuno Tarfusser, Single Judge of Pre-Trial Chamber II, considered that the evidence presented by the Prosecutor established reasonable grounds to believe that Walter Barasa is criminally responsible as direct perpetrator for the crime of corruptly influencing or, alternatively, attempting to corruptly influence witnesses by offering to pay them to withdraw as ICC Prosecution witnesses in the context of the Kenyan cases before the ICC. Allegedly, he has been and is still acting in furtherance of a criminal scheme devised by a circle of officials within the Kenyan administration.
Based on the Prosecutor’s evidence, Judge Tarfusser also found that it is necessary to arrest Walter Osapiri Barasa to ensure his appearance at trial, to ensure that he does not obstruct or endanger the investigation or the proceedings, and to prevent him from continuing with the commission of the crime.
The International Criminal Court is an independent, permanent court that tries persons accused of the most serious crimes of concern to the international community as a whole, namely the crime of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and the crime of aggression.
For further information, please contact Fadi El Abdallah, Spokesperson and Head of Public Affairs Unit, International Criminal Court, by telephone at:+31 (0)70 515-9152or+31 (0)6 46448938or by e-mail at: fadi.el-abdallah@icc-cpi.
