[JURIST] The Office of the Prosecutor at the International Criminal Court (ICC) [official websites] on Friday decided to adjourn the trial of Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta [ICC case materials] indefinitely. Kenyatta was charged in March 2011 with five counts of crimes against humanity as an indirect co-perpetrator of the violence following Kenya’s 2007 elections, which led to more than 1,100 deaths. The trial was scheduled to commence on October 7, but ICC chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda stated the Kenyan government’s failure to comply with evidence requests has resulted in a lack of evidence [Reuters report] for the case to proceed to trial. African leaders have pressured the ICC to drop the case [BBC report] and leaders accused the ICC of only investigating alleged international crimes which occur in Africa.

Trial proceedings against Kenyatta and the Deputy President William Ruto [ICC case materials], have been subject to repeated delays in 2014 and the latest delay could mark a breaking point in the ICC’s case against the African leaders. The ICC adjourned the trial [JURIST report] against Kenyatta most recently in April, following similar measures in February and January [JURIST reports]. In February Kenyan Attorney General Githu Muigai told the ICC that Kenya would not turn over financial records [JURIST report] for Kenyatta without a court order in compliance with Kenyan law. African leaders have joined together to speak out against Kenyatta’s trial, and in February he African Union (AU) [official website] called for African countries to “speak with one voice” [JURIST report] against the trials of sitting heads of state in the ICC.