International Criminal Court chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda dropped all charges against Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta yesterday for lack of evidence.

Ms Bensouda filed a terse, three-paragraph notice withdrawing the charges against Mr Kenyatta, adding she reserved the right to reinstate charges should she get more evidence.

Mr Kenyatta had been charged with murder, rape, persecution and deportation as an “indirect co-perpetrator” in violence that flared after Kenya’s 2007 elections and left more than 1,000 people dead.

Prosecutors have repeatedly complained that Kenya has not co-operated with their investigation.

Ms Bensouda said the lack of help had a “severe impact” on the case.

“It has deprived the victims of their right to know what transpired in 2007-8. It has undermined my ability to carry out a full investigation. And finally, it has prevented the judges from assessing the evidence and determining the truth.”