The President has congratulated DP William Ruto and journalist Joshua Sang on the termination of
their ICC cases but chided the court for non-performance.
The ICC ruled on Tuesday that
Ruto and Sang have no case to answer but said the prosecution can appeal.
The two had been facing crimes against humanity charges over
the 2007/8 post-election violence that left 1,200 dead and at least 600,000
displaced.
"I am delighted that Ruto and Sang’s innocence has been vindicated by a decision of no-case-to answer at the ICC.
This moment was long overdue but no less joyful," Uhuru said in a statement on Tuesday.
Noting the
victory is partial and the quest for justice incomplete, he said it was unfortunate that the ICC gave victims false hope but disappointed them.
"The ICC
was elected to blindly pursue ill-conceived, defective agenda at the expense of accountability for the PEV. As a result, many victims await justice and perpetrators are yet to be brought to account."
Uhuru said Kenyans
will continue the work of healing the nation, uniting the people, reconciling communities and ensuring justice for victims is achieved.
"We will do everything to make it up to Kenyans where this international institution has failed," he said.
Cord leader Raila Odinga took to social media to congratulate Ruto. He said the hope is that victims receive the long-overdue
justice in the form of reparations from government.
Raila said
ODM did not plan, or perpetrate violence against anyone.
Some Jubilee leaders shared their views on the ruling via social media as celebrations rocked the country.
National Assembly Majority leader Aden Duale said via Twitter: "Ruto must now be given the space to continue with the delivery of the Jubilee manifesto."
"Congratulations, Ruto and
Sang.
It has been a long journey since 2010 but the truth has revealed itself".
Elgeyo Marakwet MP Kipchumba Murkomen said: "Congratulations Ruto and Sang.
God answered our prayers.The Party is on. Glory to God."
Chief Registrar
Helena Vukasinovic said Trial Chamber judges
found no incriminating evidence to sustain the cases against Ruto and Sang.
Judge Eboe Esuji said in a statement that proceedings were declared a mistrial "due to a troubling incidence of witness interference and intolerable political meddling".
The collapse of the case against Ruto and his co-accused follows that last year of
President Uhuru
Kenyatta.
In a 95-page
motion, Ruto had said the witnesses used to confirm his charges never took the stand, leaving the prosecution with a “case built almost entirely on hearsay”.
He had been charged with murder, deportation (or forcible transfer of populations) and persecution.
Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda claimed Ruto was the head of a multi-faceted network composed of political, media, financial, tribal and military components whose aim was to expel the Kikuyu from the Rift Valley.
But the DP said Bensouda had failed to link him to businessman Jackson Kibor and former Mount Elgon MP Fred Kapondi, who are alleged to have worked under him.
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