Image: ©ICC-CPI
Paul Gicheru, a lawyer who was a suspect in the International Criminal Court, has passed away.
Gicheru, an ICC witness lawyer, was discovered dead in his Nairobi home. His body was discovered in his Karen home, on Monday night.
"He had late lunch and felt unwell and went to bed but he did not wake up," police said.
Police said he was found unresponsive at about 7 pm but did not know the cause of death.
"His son too collapsed and was taken to Karen hospital in stable condition," police added.
Gicheru was allegedly poisoned before being found dead, according to the authorities.
"He had late lunch and felt unwell and went to bed but he did not wake up," police said.
The cause of death is still unknown.
The police later announced that an investigation had begun when they arrived at the scene.
The family said they will address the media on Tuesday, despite the fact that reporters were being delayed outside his gate.
Gicheru turned himself in to the ICC on November 2, 2020, in accordance with an arrest warrant that was issued on March 10, 2015 by the Pre-Trial Chamber II of the ICC.
The Kenyan lawyer was charged with crimes against the administration of justice for allegedly corruptly influencing court witnesses.
He is accused of paying witnesses in the crimes against humanity trial of President William Ruto and former journalist Joshua Sang to either retract their statements or decline to testify.
The two's cases were formally closed in April 2016 when it was determined they had nothing to answer for.
The prosecution alleges that Gicheru offered bribes and other inducements in exchange for witnesses recanting past statements they had made to the prosecution or withdrawing as witnesses.
On February 15, Gicheru's trial began; he, however, entered a not guilty plea to each accusation. The prosecution presented testimony from eight witnesses.
On March 29, the prosecutor's office concluded the presentation of the evidence. On April 25, the defense declared that no evidence will be presented.
Gicheru and another Kenyan, Philip Kipkoech Bett, were both given arrest warrants in March 2015 for allegedly influencing witnesses.
