Ruto and Sang case: ICC Trial Chamber V(A) to file its decision on the acquittal/no case to answer requests on 5 April 2016

Situation: Republic of Kenya
Case: The Prosecutor v. William Samoei Ruto and Joshua Arap Sang

Trial Chamber V(A) of the International Criminal Court (“ICC” or “Court”) will file its decision on the requests for a “Judgment of acquittal” and “no case to answer motion”, submitted respectively by the Defence of William Samoei Ruto and Joshua Arap Sang, on Tuesday 5 April 2016.

This decision will be notified only in writing; no hearing will be held. The decision will be filed by Tuesday 17:00 (The Hague local time) at the latest, and will be made public on the ICC website and through an ICC press release that will be communicated to the media through the usual ICC communication channels.

Background

The trial of William Samoei Ruto and Joshua Arap Sang opened on 10 September 2013. Mr Ruto and Mr Sang are accused of crimes against humanity (murder, deportation or forcible transfer of population and persecution) allegedly committed in the context of the 2007-2008 post-election violence in Kenya.

Mr Sang submitted request that there is “no case to answer” on 23 October 2015 and Mr Ruto submitted a request to dismiss the charges and enter a judgment of acquittal on 26 October 2015. The Judges received as well the observations of the Prosecutor, on 20 November 2015, and the response of the Legal Representatives of the victims. The Chamber held hearings from 12 to 15 January 2016 on these motions. 

Trial Chamber V(A) is composed of Judge Chile Eboe-Osuji (Presiding), Judge Robert Fremr and Judge Olga Herrera-Carbuccia.

For more information on this case, click here

For further information, please contact Fadi El Abdallah, Spokesperson and Head of Public Affairs Unit, International Criminal Court, by telephone at: +31 (0)70 515-9152 or +31 (0)6 46448938 or by e-mail at: [email protected]