ICC defers Kenyan president's trial to February

The International Criminal Court (ICC) Thursday postponed the trial of Kenyan President Kenyatta to Feb 5, 2014.

A statement from the world court obtained here said the ICC Trial Chamber V (b) noted that both the defense and the prosecutor are in agreement on postponing the trial date, Xinhua reported.

"The Chamber urged both parties to accelerate their preparation in order to ensure that no further postponements are required," it said.

Kenyatta, his deputy William Ruto and radio journalist Joshua Sang face the ICC trial for their alleged roles in murders, deportation or forcible transfer of population, and persecution during Kenya's 2007-2008 post-election violence.

Ex-president Mwai Kibaki and his close rival, Raila Odinga, fiercely contested the 2007 presidential elections which resulted in a two-month violence that uprooted more than half a million people.