Kenya: International Criminal Court dismisses Vice President Ruto's case

The International Criminal Court has thrown out the case against Kenyan Deputy President William Ruto. The court ruled there was insufficient evidence, but it refused to acquit him. In a split ruling, one judge declared it a mistrial because of a "troubling incidence of witness interference and intolerable political meddling". Mr Ruto denied murder, deportation and persecution charges during violence that followed the 2007 elections in which about 1,200 people were killed.

Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta welcomed the ruling, saying the trial had been a "nightmare" for the nation. Mr Ruto is one of the most senior politicians to be tried by the ICC. Reaction to the verdict In 2014, the prosecutor dropped similar charges against Mr Kenyatta, alleging that witnesses had been intimidated to make them change their testimony.

The case against Mr Ruto's co-accused, journalist Joshua arap Sang, was also dismissed. Mr Ruto and Mr Kenyatta were on opposite sides of the 2007 election, but formed an alliance that won the 2013 election. There has not been a single conviction over the Kenyan election violence, which lasted for four months after December 2007.