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AllAfrica.com is reporting that Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta will now be required to be physically present during his trial slated for February 5, next year. This ruling comes after President Kenyatta was previously excused from having to attend the trial in order to attend to duties at home and abroad. Judie Kaberia reports:
“‘Trial Chamber V (b) has today reviewed its previous decision to excuse Mr Kenyatta, the Chamber ruled, that he must be physically present when his trial starts,’ said a statement from the court. The Prosecution had, on October 25, challenged the decision of the court and asked it to reverse it.
The notice by the prosecution to challenge Kenyatta’s excusal from continuous presence came after the Appeal’s Chamber reversed a similar decision in which Deputy President William Ruto had also been allowed by Trial Chamber V (a) to skip sessions of his trial.
Just like the Appeal’s Chamber on Ruto’s decision, Trial Chamber V (b) reversed the decision and said that Kenyatta can ask for excusal from continuous presence on specific occasions; “any future requests for excusal will be considered on a case-by-case basis.’
Since the decision, Ruto has been excused several times to travel back to Kenya and hold brief for the president who needed to attend meetings outside the country.”
Read more at AllAfrica.com.
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