An investigation has been ordered into the killing of a witness in the trial of Kenyan Vice President William Ruto at the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Kenya’s Director of Public Prosecutions Keriako Tobiko ordered the probe in a letter to police on Tuesday.
Local businessman Meshack Yebei, a witness for the politician’s defense case, was found dead on January 4 in western Kenya’s Nandi district.
The Hague-based ICC said it was “deeply concerned” by the death. “The family of Mr. Yebei has confirmed the identity of his body,” the ICC said in a statement.
Ruto has been on trial at the ICC since September 2013 on charges of organizing post-election violence in the country in 2007-2008. Some 1,200 people died and 600,000 others were displaced in the chaos.
Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta had also been indicted on similar charges, including murder, rape, and masterminding post-election violence.
In December, however, the court dropped charges against the head of state due to insufficient evidence to try him.
