Nairobi — International Criminal Court (ICC) witness lawyer Paul Gicheru has been found dead in his house in Nairobi.

Police and family say he is believed to have collapsed and died but no further details were provided.

Gicheru surrendered to Hague authorities in November 2020 after evading an arrest warrant issued in March 2015 for years.

The witnesses Gicheru is said to have improperly engaged witnesses in the case against Deputy President William Ruto, journalist Joshua Arap Sang terminated in April 2016, and Henry Kosgey in whose respect the court declined to confirm charges in January 2012.

The case was terminated about a year after a similar suit against President Uhuru Kenyatta was discontinued in March 2015.

Other Kenyans who faced charges of crimes against humanity at the ICC alongside Kenyatta, Ruto, Sang and Kosgei were Francis Muthaura and police chief Mohammed Ali.

The prosecution, during its opening remarks, explained how Gicheru tried to bribe and intimidate prosecution witnesses, so as to withdraw their assistance from the court.

The prosecution said they will be presenting evidence of phone records and transactions to confirm that Gicheru acted to prevent witnesses from testifying and coerced them to recant their statements.