Kenyan vice-president William Ruto tried 'to seize power through violence' Mr Ruto is the first sitting deputy head of state to go on trial at the International Criminal Court. He faces three counts of "organising and coordinating...widespread and systematic" violence after the 2007 polls. More than 1,300 people died and 600,000 were made homeless as supporters of rival politicians burned property and attacked opponents with machetes, bows and arrows and spears during weeks of clashes in late 2007 and early 2008. Human rights and international justice organisations applaud the prosecutions as a way to bring an end to years of election-related violence in Kenya, for which no significant figure has ever been brought to book. Ms Bensouda is expected to call up to 40 witnesses to make her case against Mr Ruto, who was an opposition politician when the clashes took place.