ICC drops charges against Kenya’s Francis Muthaura
Kenyan Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Uhuru Kenyatta (2ndL), and Cabinet secretary Francis Muthaura (2ndR) attend a hearing, at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, on April 8, 2011.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has dropped charges against Francis Muthaura, who was accused alongside Kenya's newly elected Uhuru Kenyatta.
According to BBC News, prosecutor Fatou Bensouda said some witnesses were too afraid to testify, while another admitted to lying and recanted his statement, in the case that accused Muthaura of fueling violence — including rape and murder — after Kenya's 2007 election.
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"We do not feel that we have a reasonable prospect of conviction and therefore withdraw the charges against him," Bensouda told judges about Muthaura, reported the Associated Press.
Muthaura was indicted alongside Kenyatta, but prosecutors said they have more evidence against the newly elected president and his case will continue.
A former cabinet secretary, Muthaura was on the same side as Kenyatta during the 2007 election, when more than 1,000 people were killed and 600,000 were left homeless, BBC continued.
Kenyatta denies the charges against him, which include organizing attacks on member of ethnic groups thought to be supporting Raila Odinga against President Mwai Kibaki.
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