Ruto, Sang ICC trial: Witness says that a cleansing ceremony was held in forest after the PEV

Third day of the examination of Ruto and Sang’s case 26th witness , the court was told that the Kalenjin community believes that a curse befalls anyone who sheds blood or kills.

The interrogation transcript:

Anthony Steynberg (prosecution Lawyer): What is the remedy to prevent that curse from attaching to those people?
Witness: If you are involved in anything that will bring you a curse, in the Kalenjin community, you have to be cleansed.
Anthony Steynberg: And how is a person cleansed?
Witness: A ceremony is prepared by elders and they do cultural things to make sure that they send away all curses that would follow you.

To preempt the above situation, the witness claimed that a special ceremony was organized at the Nabukoi forest in the rift valley in 2008 to cleanse the youths who engaged in the alleged murder of Kikuyus in the rift valley during the 2007/08 post election violence. According to the witness, he attended the ceremony to avoid being profiled by his village mates.

Transcript:

Anthony Steynberg: How many people attended that cleansing ceremony?
Witness: Around three thousand your honor. A bull was slaughtered and its internal parts were cut in to small pieces, mixed with blood. The elders and some few people who were selected threw the mixture in to the bushes while saying different Kalenjin words, which was was meant to chase all kinds of curses.

The witness also said that William Ruto’s personal assistant Farouk Kibet represented the deputy president and every youth was given Sh 300 shillings (including the witness)

Transcript:

Anthony Steynberg: What message did Farouk Kibet bring from Mr William Ruto?
Witness: He said Mr Ruto was happy from the unity that he people showed during the violence and that he had been sent with a little cash to pay as a sign of thanks to the community.
Anthony Steynberg: Who had sent that cash?
Witness: Mr. Ruto your honor.

According to the witness, Kass FM was used to insight hatred and enmity between the Kikuyu and Kalenjin communities. The witness alleged that the station incited the Kalenjin community to instill fear in the pro-PNU supporters to dissuade them fro the party.