The ICC is Said to Open Investigations into Kenyan Post-election Violence!
The International Criminal Court authorized this week formal investigation of Kenya's post-election violence. The court's Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo asked judges last November to approve an investigation into Kenyan elections violence in December 2007- April 2007 and find out whether Kenyan political leaders organized and financed attacks against civilians.
News leaked that time saying political leaders organized and financed attacks against civilians, which left almost 1333 of Kenyan dead and displaced around 600.000 of people. Recently, many calls escalated to open the Kenyan violence file, as many crimes against humanity are suspected to be committed by high political staffs in the decision-making circles.
The prosecutor has provided a list of 20 suspects, including leaders in President Mwai Kibaki's party to the judges.
Reports say if nothing implemented then the circle of the crimes will continue in the coming elections. Observers have discussed the formal investigation of Kenya's post-election violence and said that would raise the prospect that political leaders from the East African nation might face trial at the court.
Riots swept the streets when the Electoral Commission in Kenya (ECK) announced that Kibaki had won the re-election by 230.000 votes and declared winner over Raila Odinga, the main important opponent. The president sworn into office minutes after being declared winner and the government suspended all live radio and television as riots spread across the country.
The main riots took over the opposition strong hold in Nyanza province, the homeland of Odinga and many people died from the Luo ethnic group. Clashes between the Luo and Kikuyu tribes erupted to support rival candidates and wider ethnic clashes followed.
The Times reported during the riots that Odinga's supporters claimed that the official vote tallies from 48 constituencies were not based on counts announced at the polling stations. In some cases, official tallies showed that more people had voted than were on the electoral rolls. Some constituencies in both candidates' strongholds reported turnouts of more than 95 per cent, fuelling more suspicions of rigging on both sides.
Some leading figures in the international justice channels discussed the possibility of the ICC investigations in Kenya and other cases in the continent that make Africa the biggest target of international justice investigations. ICC Prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo explained why he would not let this controversy influence his decisions.
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