No more time-ICC
kenya, politics, world 1:33 AM
HAGUE - The International Criminal Court (ICC) Saturday rejected a an application by Eldoret North MP William Ruto, Tinderet MP Henry Kosgey and radio presenter Joshua Arap Sang seeking the postponement to a later date of the confirmation of charges hearings at The Hague.
While issuing the ruling, presiding Judge Ekaterina Trendafilova said the reasons given by the suspects were not satisfactory.
Ekaterina termed the request for the postponement of the hearings from the 1st of September to mid-October as efforts to delay the court process.
Through their lawyers, Ruto, Kosgey and Sang wrote to the ICC requesting that the confirmation of charges hearings be postponed from to mid-October to give them more time to compile evidence.
Just two days later, the pre-trial chamber rejected the application by the three suspects.
Trendafilova said the explanations given by the three suspects were not satisfactory arguing that their request for more time was an effort to delay the court process.
According to her, the defense was informed well in advance of the confirmation hearing date five months ago, hence the excuses given were not worth the postponement.
Ruto and Sang through their lawyers also cited slow internet connection in Kenya as one of the reasons they wanted the confirmation of charges hearings postponed by six weeks.
Ekaterina said the three boast of teams of the best lawyers and the court expected them to act professionally.
She added that she carefully reviewed Ruto's and Sang's joint application together with the annexes as well as Kosgey's application, and was dissatisfied with the manner in which their defense teams approached the upcoming confirmation hearing.
The Judge further stressed that it was critical for all to adhere to the court calendar strictly to avoid interfering with the ICC processes unnecessarily.
Source: KBC
While issuing the ruling, presiding Judge Ekaterina Trendafilova said the reasons given by the suspects were not satisfactory.
Ekaterina termed the request for the postponement of the hearings from the 1st of September to mid-October as efforts to delay the court process.
Through their lawyers, Ruto, Kosgey and Sang wrote to the ICC requesting that the confirmation of charges hearings be postponed from to mid-October to give them more time to compile evidence.
Just two days later, the pre-trial chamber rejected the application by the three suspects.
Trendafilova said the explanations given by the three suspects were not satisfactory arguing that their request for more time was an effort to delay the court process.
According to her, the defense was informed well in advance of the confirmation hearing date five months ago, hence the excuses given were not worth the postponement.
Ruto and Sang through their lawyers also cited slow internet connection in Kenya as one of the reasons they wanted the confirmation of charges hearings postponed by six weeks.
Ekaterina said the three boast of teams of the best lawyers and the court expected them to act professionally.
She added that she carefully reviewed Ruto's and Sang's joint application together with the annexes as well as Kosgey's application, and was dissatisfied with the manner in which their defense teams approached the upcoming confirmation hearing.
The Judge further stressed that it was critical for all to adhere to the court calendar strictly to avoid interfering with the ICC processes unnecessarily.
Source: KBC
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