Judges at the International Criminal Court in The Hague set a deadline on Wednesday for prosecutors, saying they must state within a week whether they are ready to proceed to the trial of Kenya’s president or else drop charges against him.
The deadline could end the proceedings against Uhuru Kenyatta, the court’s first case against a sitting president. Prosecutors have already asked twice for more time because they said the Kenyan government was blocking most avenues of investigations. They have also complained to the court that key witnesses had withdrawn because some were bribed and others threatened.
Mr. Kenyatta is charged with murder, deportation, rape and persecution in connection with postelection violence of 2008 that left more than 1,200 people dead and forced about 600,000 people to flee. Mr. Kenyatta has denied all charges.
While prosecutors have said they have ample evidence, they have told the court that they still lack the details to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. But the trial of Mr. Kenyatta’s deputy, William Ruto, continues at the same court in The Hague on similar charges.
No comments :
Post a Comment