Uhuru Kenyatta, became the first serving head of state to appear before the International Criminal Court, in a landmark hearing on Wednesday.
Prosecutors at the trial however, admitted they had no further evidence to be able to proceed with the case, as Kenyatta's defence lawyers called for the case to be thrown out.
ICC Chief Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda accused the Kenyan government of withholding evidence, including items such as Kenyatta's bank statement. At least seven witnesses have also dropped out amidst allegations of bribery and intimidation.
Kenyatta is accused of crimes against humanity, over his alleged role in election violence that left 1,200 people dead in 2007.
Wednesday's hearing was to determine whether there was enough evidence so that the ICC could proceed with a formal trial against Kenyatta. The case though, which has been delayed three times so far, is in danger of collapsing.
The lawyer representing the victims of the violence, Fergal Gaynor, told the ICC,
“If this case is terminated, then the [Kenyan] government will see that obstruction of access to evidence is a viable policy,”“If we allow the prosecution to withdraw the charges completely, I frankly think that would be the complete end for the justice process for the victims in this case.”
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