(Photo: Carrie Comer)

Last week, I reported at length about the trials and tribulations of this year’s Assembly of States Party’s conference. Most of the conference had a rather somber tone, due to frustrations and concerns over the Kenyan government’s attempts to subvert the independence of the ICC. But at such events, funny – even silly – things are bound to happen. One such moment came, inadvertently, thanks to members of Kenya’s delegation. That’s probably unsurprising given the sheer size of their delegation – estimated to have been around one-hundred people strong (and paid for by the Kenyan taxpayer!). In comparison, the core delegation of the UK consisted of five members.

Some of that public money apparently went to designing and disseminating the flashy flyer posted above with the title “Wrong Suspects – Flawed Trials”. The flyer, featuring Kenyan Deputy President William Ruto and his co-accused at the ICC, Joshua Sang, were distributed throughout the conference hall. As more than one commentator I heard ask, in all seriousness and quite rightly, if Ruto and Sang are the wrong suspects, then who are the right ones? If the Kenyan government knows, then why has no action been taken?

On a less serious note, the inspiration seems to be early-to-mid 1990s Hollywood flicks (just look at that snazzy gold banner!). But given Kenya’s insistence that the ICC is a tool of neo-colonial Western powers and a racist institution, I just wish they had taken the opportunity to give their handouts the title “White Men Can’t Jump Judge”.