Ocampo's bid to slap strict conditions on Kenyan suspects fails

Friday, 22 April 2011 00:02 BY STAR REPORTER

ICC prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo yesterday suffered another setback after judges declined to impose stricter conditions on the six Kenyan suspects.
Ocampo wanted the six to appear before the court every six months and give their financial information to enable the court set bond terms for them.
He also wanted them to regularly update the court on their movements and provide additional personal contacts, including mobile phones and emails.
Presiding judge of the pre-trial chamber Ekaterina Trendafilova however said Ocampo had failed to demonstrate that there had been any change in circumstances to warrant such additional conditions imposed on the suspects."The Prosecutor's request should be supported by proper grounds, showing the change of circumstances that would justify the adoption of any additional measure, in particular when one or more of these measures had already been rejected under the circumstances in force at the time of the previous ruling of the Chamber, on March 8 2011," the ruling reads."In light of the foregoing considerations, the single judge concludes that the additional conditions sought by the prosecutor under rule 119(2) of the rules lack any justification and his request must therefore be rejected."
Defense lawyers had objected to Ocampo's application saying it was not justified. They protested that the prosecutor had not provided reasons to justify his request for modification of the already existing conditions.
Judge Trendafilova on Wednesday dismissed another application by Ocampo who sought not to disclose the evidence he will use against the six.
Ocampo had argued that the court should wait for determination of a case filed by the Kenya government challenging admissibility of the Hague trials before compelling him to reveal the evidence.