Legal Status Profiles

Records

Uhuru Kenyatta

Kenyan politician who served as the fourth President of Kenya from 2013 to 2022.

ClosedLatest source dated 2026-09-22Last reviewed 2026-10-26

What is Uhuru Kenyatta’s legal position?

International Criminal Court case relating to Kenya's 2007-2008 post-election violence

Closed

Current position. The charges were withdrawn by the Prosecutor and the proceedings terminated on 13 March 2015; this was not an acquittal, and the ICC states the case is closed unless and until the Prosecutor submits new evidence.[1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11]

Authority
International Criminal Court (Office of the Prosecutor; Pre-Trial Chamber II; Trial Chamber V(B))
Status date
2015-03-13

History

  1. 2011-03-08 Pre-Trial Chamber II issued summonses to appear to Francis Muthaura, Mohammed Hussein Ali and Uhuru Kenyatta.
  2. 2011-09-21 Confirmation of charges hearing opened; it ran until 5 October 2011.
  3. 2012-01-23 Pre-Trial Chamber II confirmed charges of crimes against humanity against Mr Kenyatta (as indirect co-perpetrator) and committed him to trial; charges against Mr Ali were not confirmed.
  4. 2012-01-26 Stepped aside as Minister for Finance while remaining Deputy Prime Minister.
  5. 2013-06-20 Trial Chamber V(B) vacated the 9 July 2013 trial opening date and set 12 November 2013.
  6. 2013-10-31 Trial start postponed from 12 November 2013 to 5 February 2014 at the Defence's request, with Prosecution agreement.
  7. 2014-12-03 Trial Chamber V(B) declined to further adjourn the trial.
  8. 2014-12-05 The Prosecutor announced the withdrawal of the charges, citing insufficient evidence to prove the case beyond reasonable doubt and non-cooperation by the Government of Kenya; the withdrawal was stated to be without prejudice to a new case.
  9. 2015-03-13 Trial Chamber V(B) terminated the proceedings and vacated the summons to appear.

Sources

  1. Kenyatta CaseInternational Criminal Court, primary source
  2. Trial of Uhuru Kenyatta before ICC Trial Chamber V(b) to start on 5 February 2014 (press release)International Criminal Court, 2013-10-31, primary source
  3. Kenyatta case: Trial scheduled to commence on 12 November 2013 (press release)International Criminal Court, 2013-06-20, primary source
  4. Statement of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Fatou Bensouda, on the withdrawal of charges against Mr Uhuru Muigai KenyattaInternational Criminal Court, Office of the Prosecutor, 2014-12-05, primary source
  5. Kenyatta case: Trial Chamber V(B) terminates the proceedingsInternational Criminal Court, 2015-03-13, primary source
  6. ICC Weekly Update / newsletter ED112 (confirmation of charges decisions in the Kenya cases)International Criminal Court / Assembly of States Parties, 2012-01, primary source
  7. Judges Unanimously Terminate Charges Against KenyattaInternational Justice Monitor, 2015-03-18, secondary source
  8. Kenya's two ICC-indicted officials quit postsAl Jazeera, 2012-01-26, secondary source
  9. ICC: Q&A on First Appearance of Kenya SuspectsHuman Rights Watch, 2011-04-06, secondary source
  10. Bensouda drops President Kenyatta's ICC caseCapital FM, 2014-12-05, secondary source
  11. ICC sends prominent Kenyans to trial for crimes related to post-election violenceUN News, 2012-01-23, secondary source

Change history

  • 2026-10-26 Record published.

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