The International Criminal Court's chief prosecutor has agreed to delay the trial of four prominent Kenyans accused of crimes against humanity.
The four include presidential candidate Uhuru Kenyatta, who requested the postponement earlier this month.
Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda said the trials, which are currently due to start in April, could be delayed until after the court's summer recess in August.
That would put the trials after Kenya's March 4 elections and a possible run-off in the presidential vote.
ICC judges would still have to approve any delay.
Kenyatta, his running mate William Ruto and two other Kenyans face charges of organizing ethnic violence after Kenya's disputed 2007 presidential vote. More than 1,100 people were killed and hundreds of thousands of others displaced.
Kenyatta has denied the charges against him. The court has named him as an indirect co-conspirator on counts of murder, rape, forcible transfer and other inhumane acts.
Kenyatta's lawyers had argued they needed more time to look over new evidence submitted by the prosecution.
He is currently locked in a close race for the Kenyan presidency with Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
The four include presidential candidate Uhuru Kenyatta, who requested the postponement earlier this month.
Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda said the trials, which are currently due to start in April, could be delayed until after the court's summer recess in August.
That would put the trials after Kenya's March 4 elections and a possible run-off in the presidential vote.
ICC judges would still have to approve any delay.
Kenyatta, his running mate William Ruto and two other Kenyans face charges of organizing ethnic violence after Kenya's disputed 2007 presidential vote. More than 1,100 people were killed and hundreds of thousands of others displaced.
Kenyatta has denied the charges against him. The court has named him as an indirect co-conspirator on counts of murder, rape, forcible transfer and other inhumane acts.
Kenyatta's lawyers had argued they needed more time to look over new evidence submitted by the prosecution.
He is currently locked in a close race for the Kenyan presidency with Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
