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| Kenya's deputy president William Ruto denies murder at ICC | Kenya's deputy president William Ruto denies murder at ICC |
| (7 days later) | |
| Looking relaxed in the crowded courtroom, Kenya's second most powerful man secured an ignominious place in history on Tuesday as he was accused of orchestrating violence in which women and children were "burned alive, hacked to death or chased from their homes". | Looking relaxed in the crowded courtroom, Kenya's second most powerful man secured an ignominious place in history on Tuesday as he was accused of orchestrating violence in which women and children were "burned alive, hacked to death or chased from their homes". |
| William Ruto is the first serving government official to stand trial at the international criminal court. The deputy president of Kenya is charged with crimes against humanity in the aftermath of the 2007 election in which more than 1,100 people died. | William Ruto is the first serving government official to stand trial at the international criminal court. The deputy president of Kenya is charged with crimes against humanity in the aftermath of the 2007 election in which more than 1,100 people died. |
| His appearance at The Hague in the Netherlands, to be followed by the Kenyan president, Uhuru Kenyatta, in November, is widely seen as a watershed for the international criminal court, which has prosecuted only Africans and secured only one conviction in its 11-year existence. | His appearance at The Hague in the Netherlands, to be followed by the Kenyan president, Uhuru Kenyatta, in November, is widely seen as a watershed for the international criminal court, which has prosecuted only Africans and secured only one conviction in its 11-year existence. |
| Taking his place in the courtroom, Ruto appeared calm, smiling and laughing with his lawyers, according to Reuters. The 46-year-old's wife and daughter were in the front row of a public gallery packed with dozens of supportive Kenyan MPs. Broadcaster Joshua arap Sang, 38, also standing trial, gave a reporter a thumbs-up sign. | Taking his place in the courtroom, Ruto appeared calm, smiling and laughing with his lawyers, according to Reuters. The 46-year-old's wife and daughter were in the front row of a public gallery packed with dozens of supportive Kenyan MPs. Broadcaster Joshua arap Sang, 38, also standing trial, gave a reporter a thumbs-up sign. |
| The two defendants are both accused of murder, deportation and persecution of political opponents in the Rift Valley region in late 2007 and early 2008. | The two defendants are both accused of murder, deportation and persecution of political opponents in the Rift Valley region in late 2007 and early 2008. |
| "The crimes of which Mr Ruto and Mr Sang are charged were not just random and spontaneous acts of brutality," Fatou Bensouda, the ICC's chief prosecutor, told the court. "This was a carefully planned and executed plan of violence - Ruto's ultimate goal was to seize political power for himself and his party in the event he could not do so via the ballot box." | "The crimes of which Mr Ruto and Mr Sang are charged were not just random and spontaneous acts of brutality," Fatou Bensouda, the ICC's chief prosecutor, told the court. "This was a carefully planned and executed plan of violence - Ruto's ultimate goal was to seize political power for himself and his party in the event he could not do so via the ballot box." |
| Ruto used networks within his Kalenjin tribe to target political opponents and members of the rival Kikuyu tribe, Bensouda alleged. More than 200 people were killed in the Rift Valley and 1,000 injured while thousands more were forced from their homes. | Ruto used networks within his Kalenjin tribe to target political opponents and members of the rival Kikuyu tribe, Bensouda alleged. More than 200 people were killed in the Rift Valley and 1,000 injured while thousands more were forced from their homes. |
| "Mr Ruto, as a powerful politician" planned the crimes "to satisfy his thirst for political power", Bensouda told the court. "It is difficult to imagine the suffering or the terror of the men, women and children who were burned alive, hacked to death or chased from their homes by armed youths. | "Mr Ruto, as a powerful politician" planned the crimes "to satisfy his thirst for political power", Bensouda told the court. "It is difficult to imagine the suffering or the terror of the men, women and children who were burned alive, hacked to death or chased from their homes by armed youths. |
| "Mr William Ruto and Mr Joshua arap Sang are most responsible for these crimes." | "Mr William Ruto and Mr Joshua arap Sang are most responsible for these crimes." |
| While Ruto allegedly armed and organised the attackers, Sang is accused of using his popular radio show to whip up hatred against Kikuyu tribe members and even broadcast coded instructions to direct attackers to their targets. | While Ruto allegedly armed and organised the attackers, Sang is accused of using his popular radio show to whip up hatred against Kikuyu tribe members and even broadcast coded instructions to direct attackers to their targets. |
| Ruto, wearing a grey suit and red-and-silver striped tie, answered each of the three counts of murder, persecution and forcible transfer of people in turn: "Not guilty, not guilty, not guilty." Sang, who shook his head as Bensouda spoke, also protested his innocence. | Ruto, wearing a grey suit and red-and-silver striped tie, answered each of the three counts of murder, persecution and forcible transfer of people in turn: "Not guilty, not guilty, not guilty." Sang, who shook his head as Bensouda spoke, also protested his innocence. |
| Ruto's lawyer, Karim Khan, described the case against his client as "a very clear and glaring conspiracy of lies" and accused prosecutors of failing to properly investigate the case. | Ruto's lawyer, Karim Khan, described the case against his client as "a very clear and glaring conspiracy of lies" and accused prosecutors of failing to properly investigate the case. |
| "We say that there is a rotten underbelly of this case that the prosecutor has swallowed hook, line and sinker, indifferent to the truth, all too eager to latch on to any … story that somehow ticks the boxes that we have to tick" to support charges, he said. | "We say that there is a rotten underbelly of this case that the prosecutor has swallowed hook, line and sinker, indifferent to the truth, all too eager to latch on to any … story that somehow ticks the boxes that we have to tick" to support charges, he said. |
| Prosecutors have complained of widespread witness intimidation ahead of the trial and some witnesses have refused to testify. Bensouda told judges that it was an achievement to bring the case to trial. The hearings are expected to take years. | Prosecutors have complained of widespread witness intimidation ahead of the trial and some witnesses have refused to testify. Bensouda told judges that it was an achievement to bring the case to trial. The hearings are expected to take years. |
| For some observers, it is not Ruto so much as the ICC itself that is on trial. Kenya's parliament voted last week to quit the ICC, although the decision has no bearing on the trials of Kenyatta and Ruto. Public opinion appears split between those seeking justice for victims and those who claim the court is neo-colonialist and "anti-African". | For some observers, it is not Ruto so much as the ICC itself that is on trial. Kenya's parliament voted last week to quit the ICC, although the decision has no bearing on the trials of Kenyatta and Ruto. Public opinion appears split between those seeking justice for victims and those who claim the court is neo-colonialist and "anti-African". |
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