The incoming chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court says she will pursue the cases against Kenyan suspects vigorously.
Ms Fatou Bensouda, who is taking over from Mr Luis Moreno-Ocampo, dispelled the notion of being soft.
She will be taking over from Mr Moreno-Ocampo, who has a reputation even within the ICC as a prosecutor who loves publicity and who is viewed as being abrasive.
But the soft-spoken Ms Bensouda, a former Attorney-General of The Gambia, and one-time adviser to the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, can be formidable in court as evidenced by her cross-examination of witnesses during cases involving the six Kenyan suspects.
Ms Bensouda said she would not take an approach softer than the combative and aggressive one of the current ICC prosecutor.
And lawyers for some of the six post-election violence mastermind suspects were in agreement with the tough position taken by Ms Bensouda, arguing that her elevation to the position was not a reprieve for their clients.
Speaking after she was endorsed to take over the hot seat at The Hague by the Assembly State Parties in New York, Ms Bensouda was categorical that she would take over the cases — if they go to the trial stage — and pursue them to the logical end.
By doing so, she said, the ICC would be playing its role of stopping a repeat of the election violence in Kenya when the country goes to the polls next year.
“The ICC can contribute to preventing electoral violence from taking place (next year in Kenya). I will continue fighting impunity,” she said.
She will take over from Mr Moreno-Ocampo on June 16, 2012, when the Argentinean’s nine-year mandate ends.
The 50-year-old Gambian made it clear that although she was the choice of the African Union, which has accused the ICC of targeting its members, she would not change tactics of investigating and prosecuting cases at the ICC.
“My own views, being an African, have nothing to do with my mandate. I don’t agree. I don’t think any of us can deny that the crimes, the atrocities that are happening in Africa are crimes that fall within the jurisdiction of the ICC,” she said while briefing journalists at the UN headquarters in New York.
Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta, MPs William Ruto (Eldoret North) and Henry Kosgey (Tinderet), Head of Public Service Francis Muthaura, Postmaster General Hussein Ali and Kass FM radio presenter Joshua Sang are facing charges of crimes against humanity at the ICC stemming from their suspected role in the 2008 post-election chaos. (READ: Ocampo names Kenya chaos suspects)
They have already argued their cases before the Pre-Trial Chamber headed by Judge Ekaterina Trendafilova and the three-judge bench is set to issue the ruling in a month’s time — on January 19, 2012.
On Tuesday, Maj-Gen (Rtd) Ali’s lawyer Evans Monari said defence teams should not expect an easier ride from Ms Bensouda, warning she could be more ferocious than Mr Moreno-Ocampo.
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