After making his first appearance before the International Criminal Court on Friday, Paul Gicheru denied all the six accounts alleged to have committed.
The Eldoret based lawyer told the court that he made a decision to surrender, and was not influenced by anybody to do so.
Gicheru told the court that he voluntarily surrendered to the Dutch authorities on November 2, 2020, before being to the ICC’s custody.
He is allegedly facing offenses against the administration of justice consisting of corruptly influencing witnesses of the Court.
The prosecution team will present an OTP files document containing charges on February 12, 2021.
Gicheru’s defense team will respond to the DCC on February 26, 2021.
Both the prosecution and the defense teams will conclude their statements on March 15, 2021, and on March 22, 2021, there will be an OTP response to the defense.
The defense response to OTP will be on March 29,2021.
The court directed that all the filings will be written.
The arrest warrant against Gicheru and Philip Kipkoech Bett was issued under seal on 10 March 2015 and unsealed on 10 September 2015.
Philip Kipkoech Bett is not in ICC custody.
The case remains in the Pre-Trial stage, pending the suspects’ arrest or voluntary appearance before the Court. The ICC does not try individuals in their absence.
The court had issued a warrant of arrest warrants for three Kenyans — Walter Barasa, Gicheru, and Phillip Bett — on charges of obstructing the course of justice.
