{{Deputy President William Ruto jetted back into the country on Thursday morning following the adjournment of his trial at The Hague.}}<\/p>\n
Ruto landed at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport at 6.30am accompanied by his wife Rachel and was received by a high-level contingent of government officials.<\/p>\n
Although the Deputy President declined to talk to the press, a statement from his office explained that he was back for the next three days to discharge his duties.<\/p>\n
\u201cMr Ruto who was accompanied by his wife Rachel will continue with his State duties before returning to the Netherlands next week,\u201d the statement read.<\/p>\n
In his trademark cap that bears the colours of the national flag, Ruto smiled and shook hands with those lined up to meet him.<\/p>\n
\u201cThank you for coming,\u201d he could be heard saying to the welcoming committee that included Labour Cabinet Secretary Kazungu Kambi, Transport Principal Secretary Nduva Muli and various Senators.<\/p>\n
Ruto returned to the country following a delay in the arrival of the first witness who will testify for the prosecution in the case against him and Journalist Joshua arap Sang at the International Criminal Court (ICC).<\/p>\n
The witness was to arrive at The Hague on Thursday forcing the Presiding Judge Chile Eboe-Osuji to adjourn the trial until next week Tuesday as Monday will be a public holiday in the Netherlands.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is a shame really because we were hoping to proceed today, but that is the reality we have,\u201d he regretted.<\/p>\n
Ruto is expected to fly back out on Monday morning in order to be present for the hearing come Tuesday morning.<\/p>\n
His co-accused Sang, who is receiving legal aid from the ICC, remained in the Dutch-speaking country after making a passionate plea for his acquittal in his opening statement on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
During their opening statements, both Sang and Ruto\u2019s defence counsels cast aspersions on the credibility of the witnesses the Prosecution plans to call to the stand.<\/p>\n
They accused the Prosecution of carrying out shoddy investigations into the crimes against humanity for which Ruto and Sang are on the hook.<\/p>\n
\u201cYour honours, to the best of our knowledge, even the very act of obtaining a statement from the late Mr (Samuel) Kivuitu was not done by the Prosecution,\u201d Sang\u2019s lawyer Katwa Kigen said in support of his argument that his client was unfairly on trial.<\/p>\n
On Wednesday, Senior ICC Trial Attorney Anton Steynberg made it clear that the Prosecution witnesses will not be limited to 22.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Prosecution will present up to 22 victims and witnesses, common Kenyan people who will describe the attacks on each of these locations. I was referring to witnesses, so-called crime based witnesses, who will testify as to actual events. I was not saying that the Prosecution was now limiting its witness list to 22 people,\u201d he clarified.<\/p>\n
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