KAMUHANDA TRIAL ADJOURNED TO APRIL

The presiding judge of Trial Chamber Two, William Hussein Sekule of Tanzania announced that the trial would resume on April 28th and continue until May 22nd. The Kamuhanda trial started in April 2001. Prior to the adjournment, two defence witnesses dubbed RGB and CLA testified entirely in closed session. Kamuhanda trial resumed on January 13th after the end of the year judicial break. Twentythree defence witnesses have testified since then. Kamuhanda's lead counsel Aicha Conde of Guinea told the chamber on Wednesday that the defence is still anticipating a maximum of five more witnesses including an expert witness named Nkiko Nsengimana. Kamuhanda is charged with eight counts including genocide, complicity in genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, including rape and murder. These crimes were allegedly committed in his native Gikomero commune (Kigali province, central Rwanda). Most of the twentythree defence witnesses have stated that Kamuhanda was not in Gikomero commune in April 1994 when he is alleged to have led an attack on Tutsis who had sought refuge at Gikomero protestant Parish on April 12th, 1994. Aicha Conde of Guinea and Patricia Mongo of Congo Brazaville represent Kamuhanda while Marks Moore of Ireland and Ibonukulu Babajide of Nigeria are prosecuting. The trial is before Trial Chamber II composed of Judges William Hussein Sekule of Tanzania (presiding), Arlette Ramaroson (Madagascar) and Winston Churchill Matanzima Maqutu (Lesotho)PJ/CE/FH (KH0219e)