International Criminal Court investigation in Kenya
The International Criminal Court investigation in Kenya or the situation in the Republic of Kenya was an investigation by the International Criminal Court (ICC) into the responsibility for the 2007–2008 post-election violence in Kenya. The 2007–2008 crisis followed the presidential election that was held on 27 December 2007. The Electoral Commission of Kenya officially declared that the incumbent President Mwai Kibaki was re-elected however supporters of the opposition candidate Raila Odinga accused the government of electoral fraud and rejected the results. A series of protests and demonstrations followed, and fighting—mainly along tribal lines—led to an estimated 1,200 deaths and more than 500,000 people becoming internally displaced.
The seal of the International Criminal Court | |
| File no. | 01/09 |
|---|---|
| Referred by | Pre-Trial Chamber II |
| Date referred | 31 March 2010 |
| Date opened | 31 March 2010 |
| Incident(s) | 2007–2008 Kenyan crisis |
| Crimes | Crimes against humanity: · Deportation · Inhumane acts · Murder · Persecution · Rape |
| Status of suspects | |
| Mohammed Ali | Charges not confirmed |
| Uhuru Kenyatta | Charges withdrawn |
| Henry Kosgey | Charges not confirmed |
| Francis Muthaura | Charges withdrawn |
| William Ruto | Charges vacated |
| Joshua Sang | Charges vacated |
| Walter Barasa | Fugitive |
| Paul Gicheru | Deceased |
| Philip Bett | Fugitive |
After failed attempts to conduct a criminal investigation of the key perpetrators in Kenya, the matter was referred to the International Criminal Court in The Hague. In 2010, the Prosecutor of the ICC Luis Moreno Ocampo announced that he was seeking summonses for six people: Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta, Industrialisation Minister Henry Kosgey, Education Minister William Ruto, Cabinet Secretary Francis Muthaura, radio executive Joshua Arap Sang and former police commissioner Mohammed Hussein Ali. The six suspects, known colloquially as the "Ocampo six" were indicted by the ICC's Pre-Trial Chamber II on 8 March 2011 on charges of crimes against humanity and summoned to appear before the Court.
On 23 January 2012 Pre-Trial Chamber II confirmed the charges against Kenyatta, Muthaura, Sang and Ruto and dismissed the charges against Kosgey and Ali. The charges against Francis Muthaura and Uhuru Kenyatta were subsequently withdrawn by the prosecution. The trial of William Ruto and Joshua Arap sang began on 10 September 2013, and ended on 5 April 2016 with the charges being dismissed. During the investigation the ICC prosecutor also charged Walter Barasa, Paul Gicheru and Philip Bett with crimes against the administration of justice.