ICC prosecutor concerned for Kenya witnesses' safety

THE HAGUE (AFP) - The International Criminal Court's chief prosecutor Thursday expressed concern for the safety of witnesses in the case of four Kenyans accused of crimes against humanity in 2007-8 post-poll violence.

"The prosecutor's office continues to have serious concerns about the security of witnesses and their families," said Luis Moreno-Ocampo in a statement.

Concerns centred on "witness tampering and intimidation in Kenya", the statement said, adding that an inquiry had been launched in particular into intimidation via the Internet.

The international war crimes court in The Hague ruled earlier this year that four prominent Kenyans should face trial over the wave of election-related killings in Kenya four years ago.

Prosecutors say 1,133 people were killed and several hundred thousand others were forced to flee their homes.

The four face counts including orchestrating murder, rape, forcible transfer and persecution in the aftermath of the 2007 poll, which was described as "one of the most violent periods in Kenya's history".