adminJustice must run its course in the cases against Kenya’s president and deputy president, the International Criminal Court’s prosecutor said, ahead of a vote in Kenya’s parliament on whether to withdraw from the Hague-based court.Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto are accused of orchestrating violence after elections in 2007 in which 1 200 people lost their lives.
“The judicial process is now in motion at the International Criminal Court. Justice must run its course,” said Fatou Bensouda, the court’s chief prosecutor, in a video statement on the court’s website, yesterday.
Ruto’s trial comes about two months ahead of that of Kenyatta, who faces five charges of crimes against humanity, including murder, rape, persecution and deportation.
Both Kenyatta and Ruto have said they will cooperate fully with the court and deny the charges against them.
Also due to appear in The Hague is radio boss Joshua Arap Sang, accused of inciting violence.
Al Jazeera’s Catherine Soi, reporting from Nairobi, said: “More will happen after the motion is passed,” adding that another bill will be presented to parliament which then needs to be signed off by the president.
Regarding popular support for the motion, she went on to say, “It really depends on which side you look at. The ruling coalition says this debate is being supported, but surveys show that Kenyans don’t want their own country to pull out of the court.”
Many Kenyan politicians have branded the ICC a “neo-colonialist” institution that only targets Africans, prompting the debate on a possible departure from the Rome Statute of the ICC.
Online Reporter