Ocampo can collectively address appeal quests: Judge

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FILE | NATION ICC prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo  

By NATION REPORTER
Posted  Thursday, February 2  2012 at  22:30

ICC prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo has been given the green light to respond collectively to applications for leave to appeal filed by post-election violence suspects Uhuru Kenyatta, William Ruto, Francis Muthaura and Joshua Sang.

Judge Ekaterina Trendafilova on Wednesday said the prosecutor could present two documents instead of four challenging the applications made by the suspects over the confirmation of charges against them.

The judge also allowed the prosecutor to file up to 40 pages of each document. ICC regulations provide that a document filed with the court’s registry should not exceed 20 pages, unless otherwise provided in the Rome Statute or ordered by the Chamber.

“The Single Judge is of the view that the choice of whether to file a consolidated response to the defence applications ultimately rests with the prosecutor and, therefore, that no leave is necessary to this effect,” Judge Trendafilova said in her ruling.

In his request on Monday, Mr Moreno-Ocampo argued that the defence applications contain common issues that he believed could be addressed in a single consolidated response.

Four suspects whose charges were confirmed last month are appealing against the ruling.