International Criminal Court (ICC) witness lawyer Paul Gicheru has been found dead in his house in Nairobi.
Gicheru was found dead in his Karen home on Monday evening.
According to the police report, Gicheru was discovered dead after an apparent poisoning.
He had late lunch and felt unwell and went to bed but he did not wake up,” police said.
According to the police, he was discovered unresponsive at around 7 o’clock, but the cause of his death is unknown.
“His son too collapsed and was taken to Karen hospital in stable condition,” police added.
Police arrived at scene later and announced a probe had been opened.
Despite being blocked at his gate by police, the family stated they would speak to the media on Tuesday.
On November 2, 2020, Gicheru surrendered himself to the International Criminal Court in response to an arrest warrant issued on March 10, 2015 by the ICC’s Pre-Trial Chamber II.
The Kenyan lawyer was charged with criminal contempt for allegedly corruptly influencing Court witnesses.
The witnesses Gicheru is said to have improperly engaged witnesses in the case against Deputy President William Ruto, journalist Joshua Arap Sang terminated in April 2016, and Henry Kosgey in whose respect the court declined to confirm charges in January 2012.
The case was terminated about a year after a similar suit against President Uhuru Kenyatta was discontinued in March 2015.
Other Kenyans who faced charges of crimes against humanity at the ICC alongside Kenyatta, Ruto, Sang and Kosgei were Francis Muthaura and police chief Mohammed Ali.
Prosecutors say Gicheru offered witnesses bribes and other inducement to change their statements or withdraw as key witnesses.
On February 15, Gicheru’s trial began; he, however, entered a not guilty plea to each accusation. For the prosecution, eight individuals gave testimony.
On March 29, the prosecutor’s office finished presenting evidence. The defence announced on April 25, that it will not present any evidence.
The arrest warrant for Gicheru and fellow Kenyan Philip Kipkoech Bett was issued in March 2015 on charges of corrupting witnesses.
