A Chief Prosecutor at the International Criminal Court (ICC) Fatou Bensouda made this known at thefirst international forum on the ICC at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration in Accra on Thursday.
According to her, the allegations are unfounded, adding that the ICC has commissioned preliminary examinations in countries such as Georgia, Afghanistan, Columbia, Ukraine and Iraq detainees abuses by UK forces.
The ICC prosecutor said prosecuting persons responsible for crimes in Africa is key for the continent's success and growth.
“To the extent that investigating and prosecuting mass atrocities will deter war making and commission of such destabilising crimes, certainly then criminal justice at the national or international level can play an important role in African’s economic growth and prosperity,” she underscored.
The ICC has often tried high profile persons, with majority being African leaders, including former presidents Charles Taylor of Liberia and Laurent Gbagbo of Ivory Coast.
Fatou Bensouda however assured that the ICC will apply its provisions “without fear or favour”, and will continue to be “independent, impartial and fair”.
She further urged African countries to address the myriad of challenges the continent is being faced with.
On his part, the Deputy Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Dr Dominic Ayine urged Fatou Bensouda to deal with perception that the court is being bias in its prosecution.
“The perception of biases against Africa in the selection of cases to investigate and prosecute has arisen substantially as a result of the non-pursuit of cases elsewhere in the world which by any standards of criminal justice ought to have been investigated and prosecuted”, he added.
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