NETHERLANDS: Suspended Kenyan government ministers appear at ICC in connection with violent unrest after disputed elections in 2007

Record ID: 361676

  • Title: NETHERLANDS: Suspended Kenyan government ministers appear at ICC in connection with violent unrest after disputed elections in 2007
  • Date: 8th April 2011
  • Summary: THE HAGUE, THE NETHERLANDS (APRIL 7, 2011) (REUTERS) ACCUSED WILLIAM RUTO EXITING THE COURTHOUSE (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACCUSED KENYAN MP, WILLIAM RUTO, SAYING: "There is absolutely no reason why I should be here. Absolutely not at all." RUTO'S SUPPORTERS AND RUTO SINGING CHANTING IN FRONT OF THE COURTHOUSE
  • Embargoed: 23rd April 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Netherlands, Netherlands
  • Country: Netherlands
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVA99PPKYPKG5X7IR2XAD74HIZ2C
  • Story Text: Three Kenyans appeared at the International Criminal Court on Thursday (April 7) in connection with an outburst of violent unrest in which 1,200 people died after disputed elections in 2007.
    Suspended government ministers William Ruto and Henry Kosgey and radio executive Joshua Arap Sang attended the court to hear charges of crimes against humanity, including murder, forcible transfer and persecution.
    After the proceedings opened, presiding judge Ekaterina Trendafilova asked all three accused to identify themselves to the court and asked whether they had been sufficiently informed of the allegations and their rights.
    "To me the allegations that have been made here sound to me like they can only be possible in a movie," Ruto told the court.
    "Yes I have been informed about my rights and I found out that one of the rights has been broken, in terms of me getting the prosecutor interrogating me before coming here, which was not done," accused radio journalist Joshua Arap Sang told the court.
    The ICC has summoned a total of six top political and government officials to appear in court over two days this week in connection with the 2007-08 violence.
    More than 1,200 people died in the unrest, which badly damaged Kenya's reputation for stability in a turbulent region.
    Outside the court, some 40 Kenyan members of the national parliament gathered to protest against the proceedings, singing and chanting prayers. Accused William Ruto joined them after the court sitting ended and said to the gathered crowd:
    "There is absolutely no reason why I should be here. Absolutely not at all."
    Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo is presenting two cases to the ICC, the world's first permanent war crimes court, accusing both opposition and government officials of the time of instigating the violence.
    In the second case, Cabinet Secretary Francis Muthaura, Finance Minister Uhuru Kenyatta and former police chief Hussein Ali are due to appear on Friday to hear charges of murder, forcible transfer, rape and persecution.
    The judges set September 1 as the date for a hearing to confirm the charges and determine whether the suspects should be ordered to stand trial. The court also set a date of April 18 for a status hearing to discuss evidence disclosure.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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