The International Criminal Court (ICC) Registry has told the court it would cost KSh5 million (US$60,000) to set up a video link facility to hear the cases against new Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto.
The court would also incur costs for internet connection setup and subscription as well as the purchase of videoconferencing systems with external cameras and microphones.
Officials at the Registry, which is reponsible for the non-judicial administration of the ICC, said such an undertaking would take at least two months to set up and would require the hiring of personnel to maintain the connection in Kenya and at the ICC headquarters at The Hague, Netherlands.
Other costs incurred would include purchasing a generator in case of loss of electricity, to ensure connectivity in such a situation.
The Registry has said the system would slow down the hearing compared to if the two were in the courtroom physically.
“The registry maintains its view that a video link setup should be an ad hoc solution rather than a structural one,” said ICC director of the division of court services Marc Dubuisson on behalf of court Registrar Silvana Arbia.
The two had earlier requested the court allow them appear throughout the trial via video link to enable them to discharge their duties as leaders of the nation while attending the court sessions. The court judges are yet to rule on this.
The ICC told HumanIPO last month it considered itself an “e-institution” and was developing an ICT strategy to further the technological presence of the court.
The ICC said technology was a key facilitator of the court’s work, in particular with regard to communicating with communities affected by its work.
