RUTO BACK FROM THE HAGUE ?

Mr William Ruto landed with guns blazing at what he called 'false witnesses' and the judicial commission led by Justice Phillip Waki that probed post-election violence. He claimed his tribulations with ICC were the work of ‘mercenaries’ hired by his political opponents and dishonest non-governmental organisations splashing money at lying ‘witnesses’. His anger was also trained at Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, which named him in its report as among those who incited the violence and whom he has taken to court in a bid to have his name expunged. "You can’t hire, rent negotiate or even buy the truth. When the truth will be exposed, the falsehoods will be exposed," he warned. He accused the Waki team that made drastic recommendations on the violence, and drew up the list of prominent suspects whose names were put in an envelope and handed to the International Criminal Court, of allegedly peddling lies. He said the commission and KNCHR reports were built on rumour and falsehood and claimed some of the witnesses who testified on the strength of the monetary rewards they received or were promised were now going back on their statements because the financial taps had dried up. He also revealed in the 30 hours he voluntarily sat before ICC investigators at The Hague, he neither tried to have President Kibaki nor Prime Minister Odinga blamed for the chaos that rocked the country after the 2007 elections that they bitterly fought over. He also took on human rights groups, which he said, used money and promises of a life of opulence, to induce witnesses to lie and manufacture stories against him. He first spoke at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport where supporters accorded him the rare welcome reserved for gold medalists returning home after their track conquests abroad, then the Panari Hotel where he addressed a news conference.