ICC closes probe into post-election violence in Kenya

The International Criminal Court’s deputy chief prosecutor announced that she would discontinue all further investigations into crimes committed in Kenya in the aftermath of the 2007 elections.

The post-election violence in 2007-2008 took a heavy toll, killing over 1,200 people and displacing an estimated 600,000 people.

The Hague-based tribunal began investigating the violence in 2010.

Six suspects were initially charged with crimes against humanity, including murder and deportation.

The suspects included current Kenyan President William Ruto and his predecessor Uhuru Kenyatta.

However, former Chief Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda dropped the charges against Kenyatta in 2014, and the case against Ruto was dropped in 2016 after judges said the prosecution’s evidence was insufficient.

In a statement, Bensouda “blamed a relentless campaign of victim and witness intimidation for making a trial impossible and prosecutors launched a new probe into witness intimidation and bribery” .

Philip Bett and Walter Barasa, two other suspects in the bribery and intimidation case, are still at large and face charges in court.

On Monday, a senior International Criminal Court prosecutor announced that she would discontinue all future investigations into crimes committed in Kenya in the aftermath of the 2007 elections.

The decision by the International Criminal Court’s deputy chief prosecutor, Nazhat Shameen Khan, brings an end to a 13-year legal saga involving senior Kenyan politicians.