ICC Prosecutor closes case against DP William Ruto, Joshua Sang

The International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecution has closed the case against Deputy President William Ruto and journalist Joshua Arap Sang.

ICC’s prosecutor Fatou Bensouda notified the Trial Chamber, Parties and participants in the case of her decision to close the case.

In a letter Bensouda wrote; “In compliance with the Trial Chamber’s order ICC-01/09-01/11-1948-Conf, the Prosecution hereby notifies the Trial Chamber, Parties and participants that it formally closes the Prosecution’s case.”

The ICC Outreach Coordinator for Kenya and Uganda Ms Maria Kamara, however, says that the case against Ruto and Sang has not been terminated or withdrawn but means that no more witnesses by the Prosecution against Ruto.

“The notice does not mean termination of proceedings or withdrawal of case. It refers to closing of presentation of the prosecution’s evidence in the case of Ruto and Sang,” she said in a text.

She noted that the litigation continues.

For now, it is time for Ruto and Sang’s defence teams to make their presentations.

Ruto and Sang are faces charges of crimes against humanity following the 2007/08 post election violence that left at least 1,300 people dead and over 600,000 others displaced.

The two are among the six Kenyans who were facing charges charges of crimes against humanity at the Hague based court.

Early this year, the ICC cleared President Uhuru Kenyatta of the charges of crimes against humanity that were facing him citing lack of enough evidence to prosecute his case.

Others who were cleared include former Head of Civil Service Ambassador Francis Muthaura, former Tinderet MP Henry Kosgey and former Police Commission Major Gen. Hussein Ali.