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ICC Summons 6 Kenya Violence Suspects


International Criminal Court's ( ICC ) chief prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo, March 3, 2011
International Criminal Court's ( ICC ) chief prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo, March 3, 2011

Part 4 of 5-part series: Kenya: The Pace of Reforms
See Parts 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5

The International Criminal Court says it will summon six suspects accused of planning the deadly violence that followed Kenya's disputed presidential election in 2007.

ICC chief prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo named the six suspects in December and asked them to appear voluntarily at the Hague-based court.

The six include three government ministers and a former police chief.

Kenya's government has been pursuing efforts to defer ICC trials stemming from the violence, and Kenya's parliament has urged the government to withdraw from the treaty that established the ICC.

The efforts are part of an attempt to stop the ICC from prosecuting the six suspects, and to allow Kenyan authorities to try them locally. Kenya is legally obligated to cooperate with the ICC.

About 1,300 people died in riots and ethnic killings that erupted after Kenya's disputed election at the end of 2007. Hundreds of thousands of people were temporarily displaced.

President Mwai Kibaki and his challenger Raila Odinga later reached a power-sharing deal that made Mr. Odinga prime minister.

The six suspects being summoned by the ICC are Finance Minister Uhuru Kenyatta, Industrialization Minister Henry Kosgey and suspended Education Minister William Ruto. The others are secretary to the cabinet Francis Kirimi Muthaura, former police chief Mohammed Hussein Ali and radio executive Joshua Arap Sang.

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