NETHERLANDS: Judges at the International Criminal Court (ICC) adjourn the trial of Kenyan Vice President William Ruto to allow him to return home and deal with the hostage crisis that has left at least 68 people dead.

Record ID: 362746

  • Title: NETHERLANDS: Judges at the International Criminal Court (ICC) adjourn the trial of Kenyan Vice President William Ruto to allow him to return home and deal with the hostage crisis that has left at least 68 people dead.
  • Date: 23rd September 2013
  • Summary: EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: THIS EDIT CONTAINS MATERIAL WHICH WAS ORIGINALLY 4:3 THE HAGUE, THE NETHERLANDS (SEPTEMBER 23, 2013) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT DEFENDANT KENYAN VICE PRESIDENT, WILLIAM RUTO, ARRIVING AT COURTHOUSE
  • Embargoed: 8th October 2013 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Netherlands
  • Country: Netherlands
  • Reuters ID: LVA4CKI1ELHZC1DQOQ2KOPCJX3JG
  • Story Text: Judges at the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Monday (September 23) adjourned the trial of Kenyan Vice President William Ruto for a week to allow him to return home and deal with the hostage crisis at a Nairobi mall that has left at least 68 people dead.
    Ruto and Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta face charges of crimes against humanity in relation to their role in co-ordinating a wave of violence that swept Kenya in the aftermath of the country's contested 2007 elections.
    The court's unusually swift decision was taken during an emergency session after prosecutors said they had no objection to a short delay in proceedings, and a representative for the witnesses broke down in tears in the courtroom, saying Ruto should be allowed to attend to the urgent matter.
    Requesting his client's immediate release, defence lawyer Karim Khan compared events in Nairobi to the September 11, 2001 attacks on the Twin Towers in New York.

    "It is essential, we say, for William Ruto to go back. One wouldn't have expected, or the world would have found it intolerable, if the president and vice president of the United States were not in the country after 9/11. Well, this is Kenya's 9/11," he told the courtroom.
    Presiding judge Chile Eboe-Osuji said the trial would be adjourned for a week, but that the defence could file for an extension if deemed necessary.
    Leaving the court after the session, Ruto underscored the security challenges Kenya is facing.

    "It is important to note that it is because of the Somali problem that Kenya is engaged in, that these terrorist attacks have been waged on Kenya. We hope that some people will begin to contextualise what is going on and begin to appreciate the challenges that Kenya is going through, the region is going through and the complications that are brought by what is going on here," the Kenyan vice president said.
    Ruto was to catch a plane from the Netherlands at 11 a.m. local time (0900 GMT), Khan said.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2013. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register