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NAIROBI. — Judges of the International Criminal Court have excused Kenyan Vice President William Ruto from major parts of his trial on charges of crimes against humanity.Presiding judge Chile Oboe-Osuji said on Wednesday that based on new rules of procedure agreed in 2013 by the court’s state backers, Ruto could be conditionally excused from attending large parts of the proceedings.
“Mr Ruto must be present for the entirety of the closing statement of all parties and participants in the case . . . when victims present their views and concerns in person . . . and the entirety of the delivery of the judgment,” Oboe-Osuji stated.
The Kenyan politician has been flying from Kenya to the court’s Hague-based headquarters to be present at hearings since the beginning of his trial in September 2013. However, he called for leave of absence if he needed to stay at home to attend to his constitutional duties.
The 122 state parties of the court decided to ease court attendance conditions for sitting heads of states and their deputies following an extensive lobbying campaign by Kenya and its allies in the African Union.
The ruling comes as many African countries have accused the ICC of targeting the continent, saying the cases might destabilise East Africa at a time of serious security threats.
Ruto and Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta are accused in the case of ethnic violence after an election in 2007, where more than 1 000 people died. The two deny the charges.
In November 2013, Kenyan Attorney General Githu Muigai described the country as “the lynchpin in the peace and security involving more than 250 million people from Djibouti to Eastern Congo and everybody in between”. Kenyatta’s trial will begin on February 5. — Press TV.
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