ICC Deputy Prosecutor May Handle Duterte Case

With International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor Karim Khan taking a temporary leave, one of his deputies is expected to take the lead in the ongoing proceedings against former president Rodrigo Duterte.

- JANVIC MATEO

Kristina Conti, ICC assistant to counsel and one of the lawyers representing the victims of the drug war, believes that it could be deputy prosecutor Mame Mandiaye Niang who would lead the prosecution team.

Niang, a seasoned lawyer from Senegal, is one of the two deputy prosecutors of the ICC. He was the one who signed the request for the issuance of an arrest warrant against Duterte, who is charged with crimes against humanity.

On Saturday, ICC spokesman Fadi El Abdallah confirmed Khan's decision to take a leave, pending the results of an investigation on sexual misconduct allegations against him.

"According to the prosecutor's message, the deputy prosecutors will be in charge of the management of the Office of the Prosecutor during the prosecutor's absence," Abdallah said in a message to The STAR.

It remains unclear how Khan's decision will impact the ongoing proceedings of the court, including the case against Duterte. The other deputy prosecutor is Nazhat Shameem Khan from Fiji.

Based on his profile on the ICC website, Niang was elected deputy prosecutor in December 2021 and was sworn in on March 7, 2022.