Hirondelle News Agency (Lausanne)
22 September 2008
Arusha — The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) hopes to render its judgment by the end of the year in several trials, including that of the former Cabinet Director of Department of Defence, Colonel Theoneste Bagosora, alleged mastermind of the genocide committed against ethnic Tutsis of his country in 1994.
Addressing the staff of the ICTR on Friday, the President of the Tribunal, Justice Dennis Byron, stated that the Bagosora joint case, referred popularly as "Military Trial", was part of the five judgments expected by close of 2008.
Bagosora is on trial alongside three other officers of the former Rwandan army in the trial which began at the end of April 2002. The judgment is in deliberation stage since the closing arguments were concluded in June 2006.
Prosecuted for crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes, all four have pleaded not guilty.
Among the judgments awaited includes Wednesday's verdict on the former Rwandan Deputy Prosecutor, Simeon Nshamihigo.
Other judgements expected this year are on Colonel Tharcisse Renzaho, former Governor of Kigali, singer Simon Bikindi and Emmanuel Rukundo (ex-Military Chaplain).
The president did not give a probable date of judgment for the other trial on deliberation of Protais Zigiranyirazo, the brother-in-law of the former President Juvenal Habyarimana.
According to Justice Byron, the Tribunal still hopes to finish by next December the evidence phase in all the group trials opened in 2003 or before, except for Karemera case which will continue next year.
The Karemera trial, with a very animated history, involves three national former officials of the then ruling MRND, the former presidential party.
Justice Byron also stressed that 2009 will be "a challenging year", because it will be necessary to finish all the first instance trials, "unless further unpredictable developments, such as, possible new arrests, will require further adjustments".
The UN Security Council's recent extension of the mandate of the judges up to 2009 required to only handle pending cases.
Six other trials are in progress or should open by December, will continue next year, including that of the lawyer Leonidas Nshogoza, accused of contempt of court, added Justice Byron.
In 2009, the court still plans three new trials to start, including that of the former Minister for Planning, Augustin Ngirabatware, still detained in Germany.
In the event of the confirmation of the rejections of the transfer requests to Rwanda, the trial of Lieutenant Ildephonse Hategekimana, businessmen Yussuf Munyakazi and Gaspard Kanyarukiga, as well as the former Mayor Jean-Baptiste Gatete, will be added to trial list.
Headquartered in Arusha, northern Tanzania, the ICTR has to date rendered 30 convictions and five acquittals.
One of those convicted, Lieutenant Colonel Tharcisse Muvunyi, however, saw his judgment cancelled on 28 August by the Appeals Chamber, which ordered a new trial on only one count of the indictment. This trial is also scheduled in 2009.
Twenty-nine accused are on trial or await a verdict; eight, already detained by the ICTR - including the lawyer accused of contempt, await to appear; a defendant is still detained in Europe while 13 others are still at large.
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