Kenyatta faces ICC

The ICC began proceedings on Wednesday morning in the case against Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, seen above with his defense team.

*You can view a video stream of the proceedings here.*

There were chaotic scenes as Kenyatta fought his way into the heavily-guarded ICC. He did not address his supporters or the press.

He has appeared at the tribunal before, but not after he became president in April 2013.

The 52-year-old leader faces multiple charges - including murder, deportation, rape, persecution and other inhumane acts - which stem from post-election violence in 2007 and 2008.

Prior to departing for Europe, where he arrived on Tuesday, Kenyatta temporarily handed over power to his deputy, William Ruto, who faces similar charges at the ICC.

"Let it not be said that I am attending [the ICC]... as the president of Kenya," he told a special session of parliament on Monday.

According to the prosecution, Kenyatta helped orchestrate deadly political riots that left over 1,200 people dead and at least half a million others displaced following his country's 2007 election race.

The two main candidates in the polls seven years ago were President Mwai Kibaki of the Kikuyu ethnic group and opposition leader Raila Odinga. Kenyatta, who is also Kikuyu, backed the incumbent Kibaki during the race, while his future deputy president, Ruto, backed opposition leader Odinga.

Following the election, Odinga accused Kibaki of rigging the results, sparking a political and humanitarian crisis that continued for roughly two months.

While Kenyatta and Ruto belonged to opposing camps in the 2007 race, they later ran together and won the 2013 national elections.

Both politicians have answered summons to the ICC. However, the Kenyan president has delayed returning to The Hague since coming to power, citing his obligations as head of state.

Kenyatta's hearing is a major test for the 11-year-old ICC, which has had a string of collapsed cases and has been accused of singling out Africans for prosecution. The African Union has previously called for Kenyatta and Ruto's ICC cases to be withdrawn and transfered to Kenyan courts.

Status conference

Over the next two days, the judicial panel is expected to hold a "status conference" hearing to dicuss the cooperation between the prosecution and the Kenyan government.

Prosecution lawyers have complained that the government in Nairobi has failed to comply with requests for documents, a problem which had already led the court to previously adjourn the case for lack of sufficient evidence.

"There is a considerable body of material that...could have been provided, should have been provided and which hasn't been provided," prosecution attorney Ben Gumpert told the ICC on Tuesday, referring to phone and bank records which allegedly point to Kenyatta's guilt.

Kenya's attorney general, Githu Muigai, denied the allegations and contended that Nairobi had provided as much information as it was permitted by law to do.

kms/jr (AFP, Reuters, dpa)