Ocampo’s sword of justice sneaked in discreetly

by Cyrus Ombati

If his arrival had been trumpeted like that of a king come to dispense justice to his subjects, then the International Criminal Court (ICC) Chief Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo sneaked in like a thief in the night.

The arrival of Moreno-Ocampo was shrouded in secrecy that side-stepped media teams and government officials who had camped overnight at the JKIA for the visit.

Moreno-Ocampo’s handlers had kept his arrival details, itinerary of his arrival and engagements in Nairobi a tight secret. They succeeded in throwing media corps off his trail and sneaking him into town undetected.

Private jet

Reports, which later turned out to be a decoy enhancer, had first been circulated that Moreno-Ocampo would arrive by private jet at 3am.

Security men escort the limo carrying Luis Moreno-Ocampo from Harambee House. Photos: Tabitha Otwori/Standard

Journalists who had braved a chilly night at JKIA later learnt that he would be on a commercial airliner.

The man who is said to hold the secret to big names fingered for prosecution over post-election violence, later landed aboard Kenya Airways Flight 117 from Amsterdam.

One of the security men at the airport confided: “He travels first-class on commercial airlines since the ICC has no private jet and has never hired one for the chief prosecutor.”

There was notable heavy security detail at the airport shortly before his 7am arrival, similar to the scenario that prevails before a presidential appearance at the airport.

However, the media teams craning their necks both at the international arrivals lobby and the direction of the VIP lounge for the Argentinean prosecutor were disappointed.

They learnt a shade too late that Moreno-Ocampo was sneaked out with a Government Mercedes Benz limousine, GK A344M, through the airport’s cargo wing and driven to his hotel under heavy security.

Even after his arrival, security people at the airport threw media teams off his trail, some ‘confiding’ that the Chief prosecutor was headed for the Serena Hotel while others said Norfolk Hotel.

Moreno-Ocampo’s car, shadowed by unmarked police vehicles, used Mombasa Road, then Uhuru Highway, Westlands and made its way to the Windsor Golf and Country Club.

Two police cars led Moreno-Ocampo’s vehicle, clearing the way for him with four others in hot pursuit. Coincidentally, former Tanzania President Benjamin Mkapa who arrived few minutes after Moreno-Ocampo used the normal route to leave the airport.

Even some senior police officers at the airport did not seem privy to the details of where the ICC boss would be.

Whereas Mkapa’s engagement in Nairobi was unclear, there was word by security people that he was here to meet Moreno-Ocampo by virtue of his being a member of the Eminent Persons committee that partly negotiated the post-election settlement.

Police sources said Moreno-Ocampo has been assigned a security team of uniformed and plainclothes officers, the size that is assigned a visiting president.

“There are more than 10 local police officers joining a United Nations security team assigned to his motorcade and his hotel and about 20 more plainclothes officers shadowing his functions and movement,” said the source.

A senior police officer explained that Moreno-Ocampo’s security detail was above the normal accorded to senior UN emis saries due the sensitivity of his assignment which may ruin top politicians’ careers.

“He is here to announce his programme of investigating the perpetrators of post-election violence some of whom are powerful people. We do not take anything for granted,” said the officer who asked not to be named.

Those believed to be in the list that Moreno-Ocampo has include business and political elites who may want to frustrate his efforts to haul them before the international court for trial.

Security detail

His security detail went into action at Harambee House as he arrived and as he left. When he left together with the Presidential and PM’s motorcade, there was a brief traffic jam at the exit point.

This forced four security officers who had communication gadgets tagged to their ears to alight from their cars and make an exit for the prosecutor.

A press conference that was organised at the Serena Hotel was cancelled as the motorcade headed for Windsor where he was scheduled to have lunch.

Police Spokesman Eric Kiraithe explained that Moreno-Ocampo is a VIP State guest and would get the kind of protection that such a person deserves.

“It is prudent that such measures are taken to ensure his safety at all times while he is here. No one would want to see something bad happen to him,” he said.

 

source.standard.ke