Kenyan candidate sees ICC case collapsing

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NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb. 27 (UPI) -- Kenyan presidential candidate Uhuru Kenyatta said Wednesday a case pending against him at the International Criminal Court is collapsing.

The ICC said this week it would take up Kenyatta's case in August, after it returns from recess. Kenyatta, former Cabinet Secretary Francis Muthaura and former Police Chief Hussein Ali appeared before the ICC last year to hear charges they were behind violence that broke out in the aftermath of disputed 2007 elections.

Post-election conflict in Kenya left more than 1,000 people dead and another 600,000 displaced.

Kenyatta was cleared by a Kenyan court to run in next Monday's presidential election, saying he's innocent until proven guilty. He was quoted by The Daily Nation newspaper in Kenya as saying the case was falling apart.

"The trumped-up charges against former head of public service Francis Muthaura have started collapsing," he said. "If Muthaura's case is collapsing, is that not an indication even mine will go nowhere?"

Kenyatta's running mate, William Ruto, is also suspected of crimes during the 2007 election violence.

The United Nations and leading human rights organizations said they were concerned that a culture of violence in Kenya pointed to signs of unrest ahead of next week's election.