Former ICC suspect and journalist Joshua Arap Sang is facing a wave of backlash after a single tweet reignited discussions about his controversial past. Hours ago, Sang posted a screenshot on Twitter threatening to sue a young lady who allegedly linked him to the 2007/08 post-election violence (PEV).
In the screenshot, Sang wrote, “We meet in court in January, have your all evidence ready,” and captioned it, “For others to learn a lesson of wrongly accusing people, this one must meet me in court in January so that she can present the evidence she alleges I participated in the 2007/08 PEV.”
This tweet, intended to assert his innocence, instead unleashed a torrent of criticism. Netizens flooded his account, warning him to apologize to the young woman or face the prospect of being taken back to the ICC.
One comment read, “We are giving you 48 hours to apologize or we sponsor Kenyans in the diaspora to petition the ICC to reopen your case and ensure you are back at The Hague to face 2007/08 PEV charges. Your clock starts at 1700 Hours EAT.”
As accusations piled up in his comment section, Sang defended himself, stating that the ICC case against him had been terminated after witnesses contradicted their testimonies. He claimed, “35 witnesses appeared and contradicted their evidence, with others revealing how they were paid by certain individuals to sign already prepared fake evidence.”
A Look Back: Why Joshua Arap Sang Was Taken to the ICC
Joshua Arap Sang, once head of operations at Kass FM, was charged at the ICC for his alleged role in the 2007/08 post-election violence in Kenya. Born in Kitale, Trans-Nzoia District, Sang was accused of being an indirect co-perpetrator in crimes against humanity, including murder, deportation, and persecution.
The ICC alleged that Sang used his radio show Lee Nee Emet to incite violence, spread hate messages, and mobilize support for the expulsion of certain ethnic groups aligned with the Party of National Unity (PNU). The accusations stated that his broadcasts encouraged attacks on Kikuyu, Kamba, and Kisii communities.
The violence, allegedly pre-planned, occurred between December 30, 2007, and January 16, 2008, in areas like Turbo, Eldoret, Kapsabet, and Nandi Hills. Over 230 people were killed, 505 injured, and thousands displaced. Homes and businesses were destroyed, and police stations turned into makeshift refuges for terrified residents.
Sang’s trial began in 2013 but was terminated in 2016 due to witness tampering, including allegations of bribery, intimidation, and even murder. The ICC stated these actions compromised the trial, but the court left room for the case to be reopened should new evidence surface.
The Current Outcry
Kenyans are now threatening to gather fresh evidence to petition the ICC to reopen Sang’s case. What began as a tweet to silence a critic has instead reignited a national conversation, with many calling for justice for the victims of the post-election violence.
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