CYANGUGU TRIAL ADJOURNED UNTIL SEPTEMBER 30TH, COURT ENTERS RECESS

Arusha, July 26, 2002 (FH) - The genocide trial of three former leaders from the Cyangugu region in Rwanda was on Thursday adjourned at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR). The so-called 'Cyangugu trial' comprises; former Rwandan minister of transport and communications, André Ntagerura, ex-commander of the Karambo military barracks in Cyangugu, Samuel Imanishimwe and former Cyangugu prefect Emmanuel Bagambiki.

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Prosecution maintains that all three are guilty of massacres of Tutsis in Cyangugu, southwest of Rwanda, during the 1994 genocide. Trial chamber three of the ICTR, before which the trial is being heard, has gone into a one month judicial recess. The other two chambers at the ICTR are also currently in recess. The chamber adjourned during cross-examination of Ntagerura. He is the thirty-third witness in his defence. The prosecution will continue cross-examining Ntagerura at the resumption of the trial on September 30th. Ntagerura is accused of having allowed or authorised the use of government vehicles, specifically buses belonging to the state owned transport company, ONATRACOM, for the transportation of [Interahamwe] militia, as well as the transportation of arms and ammunitions to Cyangugu region during the genocide. Ntagerura has denied all the charges. He told court that he had lost control over ONATRACOM from the beginning of the massacres on April 6th, 1994. Trial Chamber Three is composed of judges Lloyd George Williams of St. Kitts and Nevis (presiding), Yakov Ostrovsky of Russia and Pavel Dolenc of Slovenia. GG/DO/FH (CY-0726e)