Saturday April 27, 2013 - Deputy President William Ruto has written to the International Criminal Court (ICC) requesting his case to be postponed to November this year.Ruto, whose case at the ICC was set to start on May 28, requested the Trial Chamber V judges to set a new date “not earlier than November 2013”
In an application filed by his lead Lawyer Karim Khan, Ruto made the request to enable his defence team adequate time to conduct investigations necessary to properly prepare for his trial.
“The defence of Mr William Samoei Ruto respectively requests the Trial Chamber V vacate the scheduled may 28, 2013, commencement date of trial,” Khan said.
He also argued that the request arose from the failure of the ICC chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda to provide timely and effective disclosure of witness.
Khan accused Fatou Bensouda of failing to disclose the identity of one of her witness until April 17.
“The Office of the Prosecutor dilatory disclosure to the defence as well as its general approach to the prosecution of this case has rendered May 28 date absolutely unviable if the fair trial rights of Mr Ruto are to be guaranteed,” said Khan.
Khan also said to date, Ms Bensouda had failed to disclose the identity of witness P- 0534 to the defence despite the fact that the chamber had ordered that this be done by March 13.
The Kenyan DAILY POST