The trial of two genocide suspects, Pierre Basabose and Séraphin Twahirwa, accused of involvement in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, has been postponed to Wednesday, October 11, by Belgium's Court of Assizes.
The presiding judge made the decision to adjourn the trial to allow medical experts to provide additional information regarding Basobose's health condition. The purpose is to determine whether he is fit to stand trial. The trial commenced as scheduled on Monday, October 9, with only Twahirwa and Basabose's lawyer, Jean Flamme, in attendance.
Flame explained his client's absence, stating that Basabose had been hospitalized since Friday due to health issues, rendering him unable to attend the hearings.
On the other hand, the prosecution stressed the importance of the defendant's presence, especially considering the gravity of the charges against him.
Basabose's health condition challenge is not recent. In August 2022, federal prosecutor Kathleen Grosjean recommended placing Basabose in a medical facility due to his mental disorder. Grosjean argued that subjecting Basabose to a trial would be both unjust and futile, given his inability to comprehend proceedings and effectively participate in his defense.
This recommendation followed a medical report that outlined Basabose's cognitive decline, confirming memory disorders, judgment impairments, and attention deficits. The report also noted difficulties in his long-term memory, raising questions about his ability to recall events from the period of the alleged genocide involvement.
However, the court's decision, rendered on June 21, 2023, indicates that despite Basabose's mental health condition, the trial will proceed. The court maintained that his memory problems primarily affected recent events, suggesting that he could potentially participate in the trial by recalling relevant facts.
Both suspects face charges related to genocide and war crimes, with Twahirwa additionally accused of rape. Their trial is expected to run from October 9 until December 8.
