TRIBUNAL ORDERS RECORDINGS TO BE GIVEN TO FORMER BUSINESSMAN

Arusha, February 29, 2000(FH) - The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) on Tuesday ordered that a genocide suspect be given the record of his initial questioning. On Monday, Arsène Ntahobali, a former businessman, had asked the court for the tapes and transcripts of his questioning after he was arrested in July 1997.

He argued that if he did not have them, it would prejudice his defence. The court also gave Ntahobali an additional 30 days, counting from the day he receives the tapes and transcripts, in which to submit any pre-trial motions. Ntahobali is jointly accused with five other people including his mother, former Minister of Women's Development and Family Welfare Pauline Nyiramasuhuko. They are accused of committing crimes in the southern Rwandan district of Butare during the 1994 genocide. On Tuesday morning, the ICTR also heard four defence motions from another member of the so-called "Butare group", former mayor of Ngoma Joseph Kanyabashi. Kanyabashi's Canadian lawyers Michel Marchand and Michel Boyer are asking, among other things, that the indictment against their client be made more precise, so as to be able to better ensure his defence. AT/JC/FH (BU%0229e)

Republish
Justice Info is now on WhatsApp
Discover our first WhatsApp Channel and receive real-time notification of every publication posted on our website, with a summary and extracts or quotes. Every evening, you'll have access to our review of the day's AFP dispatches. At the end of each week, a summary of our publications.