Written by Timothy Makokha 2012-06-11 15:59:00 Read 592 Times

International Criminal Court (ICC) judges have said two of the four Kenyans facing criminal charges against humanity will know in July, the date when their trial will commence.

During the Status Conference held Monday, Eldoret North MP William Ruto and journalist Joshua Sang were informed by the presiding judge Kuniko Kozaki after presentations from the prosecution and the defense as well as the victims.

The prosecution had said it will be through with presenting evidence by March 2013.

The prosecution and the defense team agreed that the trial should therefore start after March 2013.

The next general elections are set to be conducted on the 14 day of March 2013 according to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

Mr. Ruto is a presidential candidate in the elections and has been pushing for a postponement of the trials until after the elections.

The main purpose for the ongoing status conference at the ICC is to set rules for trials of the four suspects of post election violence.

The Ocampo four are facing charges for planning, financing and executing the post election violence that had 1, 113 Kenyans killed while thousands were forcefully evicted from their homes, some who are still living in makeshift camps commonly referred to as IDP camps.

The four suspects are of the view that the ICC lawyers need to visit affected sites in Kenya.

Ruto was represented by his lawyers while Joshua Sang was present in person.

Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta and former Head of Public Service Francis Muthaura will know their fate tomorrow.

The status conference is also to determine languages to be used by the witnesses against the four in the same court. 

 In the ongoing proceedings Mr. Sang has requested the court to enable him to know the witnesses and see whether they are genuine or not.  Mr. Sang also wants to study evidence of prosecution.

In the conference matters to do with the protection of witnesses are to be determined and the conditions of confidentiality as well as the ability of the court to protect witnesses.

The conference also aims at matters of disclosure of evidence to be shared if any. It is at the same time to discuss matters of contact between parties and the protected witnesses.

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