Kenya’s Deputy President William Ruto, right, awaits the start of his trial in the courtroom of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, Netherlands, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2013. At left defense counsel Karim Khan. The trial of Kenya’s deputy president has opened at the ICC on charges of orchestrating deadly violence in the aftermath of his country’s disputed 2007 election. Ruto and broadcaster Joshua Sang are both accused of murder, deportation and persecution. They insist they are innocent. (AP Photo//Michael Kooren, Pool)
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The presiding judge in the International Criminal Court trial of Kenya’s deputy president has issued a stern warning to media, bloggers and social media users not to reveal the names of protected witnesses testifying in the case.
Wednesday’s warning came amid reports the identity of the first witness, who took the stand Tuesday, had been exposed in Kenya.
Deputy President William Ruto and broadcaster Joshua Arap Sang are accused of orchestrating deadly violence in the wake of Kenya’s 2007 presidential election. Both men have pleaded not guilty.
Presiding Judge Chile Eboe-Osuji’s warning came amid prosecution claims of widespread witness intimidation and defense counterclaims that the ICC case is built on lies.
The first witness testified anonymously Tuesday and couldn’t be seen from the court’s public gallery.
