Kenya`s President Uhuru Kenyatta is due to go on trial on November 12 for crimes against humanity allegedly committed during violence that left more than 1,000 dead.
|Last Updated: Oct 11, 2013, 11:20 AM IST|Source: PTI
The Hague: Kenya`s President sought on Thursday to halt his International Criminal Court trial before it starts, claiming that corrupt witnesses and intermediaries for the prosecution make a fair trial impossible.
In a written request, Uhuru Kenyatta`s lawyers asked the court to permanently end the case against him because "the prosecution is presiding over an utterly corrupt and dishonest case."
Kenyatta is due to go on trial on November 12 for crimes against humanity allegedly committed during violence that left more than 1,000 dead in the aftermath of Kenya`s disputed 2007 Presidential Elections.
Kenyatta, who was elected President at elections earlier this year, denies the charge, and his lawyers have repeatedly claimed that the prosecution case against him is based on false testimony.
He has always cooperated with the court and is not in custody. If his trial goes ahead, he has applied to be excused from attending hearings in The Hague so he can continue to carry out his duties as head of state.
Prosecutors are expected to respond in writing, and the court could order a hearing into the claims.
In a lengthy and heavily redacted motion, Kenyatta`s lawyers accuse witnesses and intermediaries of lying, threatening other witnesses and pulling together a corrupt group of prosecution witnesses to testify against Kenyatta, who is accused of organising attacks on his political opponents in late 2007 and early 2008.
Last week, the court issued an arrest warrant for a Kenyan, Walter Barasa, who is accused of bribing or attempting to bribe ICC prosecution witnesses in Kenya not to testify.
Kenyatta`s filing came ahead of an African Union summit on Saturday which is expected to debate the possible exit of some nations from the court, which many leaders on the continent accuse of unfair bias against Africa. So far, all the court`s indictments are against Africans.
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.