Uhuru Kenyatta 'can request' to attend ICC hearing via video link

The nature of the crimes being prosecuted war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity are equally earth-shaking. FILE PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

President Uhuru Kenyatta can request to attend the International Criminal Court (ICC) status conference scheduled for October 8 via video link if he so wishes.

The ICC on Monday said Mr Kenyatta is expected to attend the conference in the Netherlands as a matter of principle unless his lawyers appeal for an alternative means.

“If the accused wishes to attend via video-link, he could make a request to the Chamber, which the Chamber would then rule on,” a statement from the Court’s Public Affairs Unit said.

“At the moment, no such request has been made by the accused and we cannot speculate on what the parties may request or what the Judge would decide.”

On Friday, Trial Chamber V(b) judges Kuniko Ozaki, Robert Fremr and Geoffrey Henderson postponed the start of Mr Kenyatta's trial and instead ordered that a status conference be held on October 7 and 8.

“A representative of the Kenyan Government is invited to attend the first status conference and Mr Kenyatta is required to be present at the second status conference,” the judges said of the meeting.

The meeting is expected to discuss the status of cooperation between the prosecution and the Kenyan Government and other issues the prosecutors have raised before the court.