By Thomas Escritt
THE HAGUE (Reuters) – Kenya’s president arrived at the International Criminal Court on Wednesday for a hearing over his indictment on charges of crimes against humanity, making him the first sitting leader to appear at the global tribunal.
Dozens of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s supporters waited outside the court in The Hague and broke into song as his convoy arrived. His allies have called for his trial to be postponed to allow him to focus on the militant threat in East Africa.
Prosecutors have accused Kenyan authorities of refusing to hand over bank and phone records, obstructing the case against the president who is accused of orchestrating a wave of violence that swept Kenya after contested elections in 2007.
Judges on Wednesday were to consider a request from prosecutors to adjourn the trial and refer Kenya’s alleged non-cooperation to the court’s member states, who could then decide on sanctions.
Kenyatta and his regional allies have warned that the trial risks destabilising a region that faces a threat from resurgent militant Islam in Somalia.
This is no time to weaken a country and a region by removing its President for trial, said Mahboub Maalim, head of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development regional organisation, who was in The Hague for the hearing.
The case is seen as a major test of the ICC which has secured only two convictions in the 11 years since it was set up. Kenyatta has denied the charges.