ICC ORDERS IMMEDIATE ARREST OF KENYAN JOURNALIST

The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for a Kenyan journalist suspected of offering bribes to prosecution witnesses in the trial of Deputy President William Ruto.

There were reasonable grounds to believe that Walter Osapiri Barasa was "corruptly influencing" or trying to influence witnesses, a judge ruled.

This is the first time the ICC has issued such an arrest warrant.

Mr Barasa told the BBC he was ready to prove his innocence.

Mr Ruto is on trial for alleged crimes of humanity and his case resumed at The Hague on Wednesday morning.

He denies the charges, which stem from allegations that he orchestrated violence after disputed elections in 2007.

Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta is due to stand trial on similar charges in November. He, too, denies the charges.

Mr Barasa was allegedly "acting in furtherance of a criminal scheme devised by a circle of officials within the Kenyan administration", the ICC said in a statement.

The Kenyan government have not yet commented on the allegation.

ICC chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda called on Kenya to immediately arrest and transfer Mr Barasa to The Hague.

There was "compelling evidence" that he tried to bribe someone he thought was a witness in Mr Ruto's trial, she said.

Mr Barasa was part of a network trying to "sabotage" the case, Ms Bensouda alleged.

 (BBC)