Judges defend Ruto’s excusal from ICC hearings

By Felix Olick

The Hague, Netherlands: Excusal of Deputy President William Ruto from his trial this week to enable President Uhuru Kenyatta attend a regional summit met the threshold of the Rome Statute.

International Criminal Court (ICC) judges handling the case said the excusal granted on Friday last week constituted an “exceptional circumstance” under which an accused can be absent from trial.

“The Chamber is satisfied that the circumstances are exceptional,” the bench said as they gave reasons why they granted the request.

Ruto was allowed to return home to take charge of Government as Uhuru left for a two-day official visit to South Africa. During the visit, Uhuru was expected to attend the Joint Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) Summit of Heads of State and Government.

Presiding Judge Chile Eboe-Osuji said the meetings were planned with the hope that the cases would have adjourned on November 1, as was initially scheduled.

“Postponement or cancellation of the meetings would not be easy for the countries involved,” he said.