The International Criminal Court Rejects Kenya’s Appeal to Stop Trial

The government of Kenya’s appeal to the International Criminal Court (ICC) to stop it putting on trial six people accused of links to 2008 post-election violence has been rejected. The culprits include the deputy prime minister, two former ministers and an ex-police chief who are charged with murder, deportations and persecutions. ICC chief prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo is the one handing the case against the accused. The allegedly involvement caused around 1,200 death and more than half a million people were forced to flee their homes during the violence.

In the peace deal that followed in early 2008 it was settled that those culprits who were involved in the violence would face justice either in Kenya or at the ICC in The Hague. Mr. Moreno-Ocampo named the six high-profile Kenyans in December 2010 after Kenyan MPs blocked moves to set up a local tribunal. After eight months, the government of Kenya failed to convince a majority of the ICC judges that it had now initiated its own investigations into the violence. However, it appeared one of the judges did side with Kenya in its last-ditch effort to get the case dismissed.

The decision to go ahead with the trial will please many Kenyans who still the ICC option simply because they do not have faith the accused politicians, who are all allies of President Mwai Kibaki or his then election rival Raila Odinga and now prime minister, would face a fair trial at home.

The six who will face the trial are; William Ruto, Henry Kosgey, Joshua Arap Sang, Uhuru Kenyatta, Francis Muthaura and Mohammed Hussein Ali. The first three are of organizing attacks on supporters of Mr Kibaki while the other three are accused of similar charges for supporters of Mr. Odinga.

William Ruto has since fallen out with his ally Mr Odinga and claims he will contest presidential elections due next year. However, his goal might quashed by the ICC ruling should they find him guilty. The case is now due to open this week on Thursday.

Embrace yourselves for the up coming ICC drama!