News / Africa
ICC not clear on action if Uhuru Kenyatta skips trial
17 Oct 2013 at 10:04hrs | Views
Kenya's Deputy President William Ruto and his lead Lawyer Karim Khan during a break in the former's ICC trial in The Hague September 17, 2013
Cape Town - The International Criminal Court is not clear what action would be taken if Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta decided not to attend his trial set to begin on 12 December in The Hague, a report says.
ICC Outreach Co-ordinator for Kenya and Uganda, Maria Mabinty Kamara said she could not speculate on what measures would be taken, Daily Nation said.
Kamara however stressed that Kenyatta was still required to attend trial after he and his deputy William Ruto committed to co-operating with the ICC.
Kenyatta and Ruto face crimes against humanity charges for Kenya's 2007-2008 post-election violence in which more than 1 000 people died.
African leaders on Saturday proposed that the trials should be deferred to allow Kenyatta to attend to pressing issues in his country after al-Shabaab militants attacks a mall in Nairobi last month.
But Karama said the ICC will abide by the United Nations Security Council decision on a request for the deferral of the trials.
ICC Outreach Co-ordinator for Kenya and Uganda, Maria Mabinty Kamara said she could not speculate on what measures would be taken, Daily Nation said.
Kamara however stressed that Kenyatta was still required to attend trial after he and his deputy William Ruto committed to co-operating with the ICC.
African leaders on Saturday proposed that the trials should be deferred to allow Kenyatta to attend to pressing issues in his country after al-Shabaab militants attacks a mall in Nairobi last month.
But Karama said the ICC will abide by the United Nations Security Council decision on a request for the deferral of the trials.
Source - News24
