BUTARE TRIAL ADJOURNED TO NEXT YEAR

Arusha, November 13th, 2002 (FH) - The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) on Wednesday adjourned to next year the so-called "Butare Trial", after the testimony of the eighteenth prosecution witness who testified mainly in closed session from Monday. The president of Trial Chamber II hearing the case involving the largest number of suspects, Judge William Hussein Sekule of Tanzania announced the adjournment after the protected witness QAQ completed his testimony in the morning.

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Judge Sekule said the trial would continue in February 24th 2003, and proceed for five weeks up to March 27th. The chamber is set to hear another trial on Monday involving former Mayor Juvénal Kajelijeli. Four prosecution witnesses testified since the trial resumed on October 14th. The Butare trial began in June 13th 2001. The Butare trial groups former Minister for Family and Women's Affairs Pauline Nyiramasuhuko and her son Arsène Shalom Ntahobali, former Butare prefects Sylvain Nsabimana and Alphonse Nteziryayo and former mayors of Ngoma Joseph Kanyabashi and Muganza, Elie Ndayambaje. Nyiramasuhuko, is the first woman to be indicted before an international court for rape and genocide. Judge Sekule also told the counsels in the case that the chamber is still deliberating on an oral motion presented by Nyiramasuhuko's co-counsel Guy Poupart, to have her allowed access to investigators and legal assistants at detention facility in Arusha in absence of her attorneys. This trial is before ICTR's Trial Chamber Two, comprising Judges William Hussein Sekule of Tanzania (presiding), Arlette Ramaroson (Madagascar) Winston Churchill Matanzima Maqutu (Lesotho). PJ/FH (BT-1113e)