Nairobi , Kenya ( CNN ) -- The International Criminal Court has dropped charges against Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta -- the first sitting head of state to appear before the tribunal . Kenyatta , 53 , faced five counts of crimes against humanity for allegedly orchestrating violence after a disputed presidential election seven years ago . `` I am very keen to run to my wife right now and tell her what is happening , '' he said on Twitter after the court dropped the charges Friday . `` To be sincere , we are very excited . '' More than 1,000 people died when ethnic groups loyal to leading candidates torched homes and hacked rivals in violence that raged for months . Kenyatta , who backed then-incumbent Mwai Kibaki in that election , was accused of funding a local militia that conducted reprisal attacks . He has maintained that he is not guilty . Withdrawal follows a series of setbacks . This week , the court rejected the prosecution 's request for an adjournment , giving it a week to either provide more evidence or drop the charges . In light of the court 's mandate , Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda said , she was left with no choice but to withdraw the charges . `` The evidence has not improved to such an extent that Mr. Kenyatta 's alleged criminal responsibility can be proven beyond reasonable doubt , '' Bensouda said in a statement explaining her decision . Numerous adjournments . Bensouda has postponed the start of the trial numerous times , and accused the Kenyan government of withholding key documents in the case against its leader . `` Crucial documentary evidence regarding the 2007-2008 postelection violence ... can only be found in Kenya and is only accessible to the prosecution through the assistance of the government of Kenya , '' she said . `` This crucial assistance was ultimately not provided . '' The defense has rejected the accusations . 'My conscience is clear ' Shortly after she dropped the charges , Bensouda listed a series of setbacks the prosecution faced , including the exposure and harassment of protected witnesses . The Kenyan president has denied any links to the violence , and had pledged to cooperate with the court to clear his name . `` My conscience is clear , has been clear , and will remain forever clear that I am innocent of all the accusations leveled against me , '' Kenyatta said last month . He became the first sitting head of state to appear before the international court when he attended a status hearing last month at the court in The Hague , Netherlands . ICC withdrawal ? The international court has also accused Deputy President William Ruto of orchestrating attacks in the 2007 election , which he denies . His trial started in September last year . The Kenyan parliament voted this year to withdraw from ICC jurisdiction after repeatedly calling on the court to drop the two leaders ' cases . But a withdrawal would take a while to implement because it involves steps such as a formal notification to the United Nations . Bias accusations . The International Criminal Court was set up in 2002 to prosecute genocide , crimes against humanity and war crimes . The nation 's previous administration reneged on a deal to set up a special tribunal to try suspects in the postelection violence , prompting the international court to step in . The African Union has urged the court to postpone cases against sitting leaders , accusing it of unfair treatment against African leaders . The international court has said it is not a substitute for domestic justice systems , and only intervenes if the national judicial system is either unwilling or unable to carry out justice . Rights groups have said the court is crucial in ensuring justice for everyone . CNN 's Lillian Leposo contributed from Nairobi , and Faith Karimi wrote and reported from Atlanta . CNN 's Alex Felton contributed to this report .
Kenyatta was the first sitting head of state to appear before the international tribunal . Prosecution : Lack of evidence left us with no choice . The President had pledged to work with the police to clear his name .