ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda says Kenya has failed to comply with request for Uhuru Kenyatta's financial records

Tuesday, December 03, 2013

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NICC Chief Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda has accused Kenya of refusing to disclose President Uhuru Kenyatta’s wealth.

Bensouda said the information is critical to the case especially allegations that he funded the 2007 post-election violence. Bensouda has requested the Chamber to find that the Government of Kenya has failed to comply with the prosecution’s April 2012 request to produce financial records of the accused and refer the matter to the Assembly of State Parties.

“These records are relevant to critical issues in this case, and may shed light on the scope of the accused’s conduct, including the allegation that he financed the crimes with which he is charged,” Bensouda says.

EXPERT WITNESSES Meanwhile, ICC has issued directives on how the trial of President Uhuru Kenyatta shall be conducted starting February 5, 2014. Trial Chamber V(B) issued the comprehensive details as the court is set to break for Christmas vacation beginning December 13. The prosecution will be allowed 320 hours to adduce all its evidence against Kenyatta, through their 32 witnesses already listed.

Likewise, the defence will be allowed an equal amount of time to cross-examine the witnesses, two of whom will be expert witnesses. President Uhuru is expected to be present at the ICC in The Hague on February 5, 2014, to plead to the charges of crimes against humanity. Only the charges will be read to the President at the opening of the trial.

Soon after, the prosecution will be allowed four hours to make the opening statement which entails highlighting the nature of their case against the accused and the kind of evidence they would adduce

The legal representative of the victims will make a similar statement and the defence will also make their opening statement in four hours.

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