Prosecutors at the International Criminal Court have said that they would “not object” the delaying of the trials of four Kenyans, including Deputy Prime Minister and presidential candidate in next week’s election, Uhuru Kenyatta.
The four men were charged with crimes against humanity over election related violence during the polls in 2007, which killed over 1,000 people and the trial was due to start in April.
Fatou Bensouda, ICC prosecutor, said on Tuesday:
"The prosecution is ready for trial and wishes trial to proceed,
"At the same time, the prosecution recognises that logistical constraints such as courtroom availability make a trial on April 11, 2013, unlikely. Therefore, the prosecution does not object to a reasonable adjournment, to allow time for protective measures to be put in place for the witnesses whose identities remain to be disclosed and to provide the defence with adequate time to prepare."
"People here are saying this is a potential game-changer," said Al Jazeera Online's James Brownsell from Nairobi.
"If ICC judges agree with the prosecutor, Kenyatta and Ruto will be free to campaign if the election reaches a second round. As the dates stand, if no winner is found on Monday, the pair from the Jubilee coalition would be standing in the dock as voters go to the polls in early April. This decision will have a significant influence on the campaigns."
