CYANGUGU TRIAL ADJOURNED TO FEBRUARY 3RD

Arusha, January 24, 2003 (FH) - The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) has been compelled on Friday to adjourn the trial of three former senior Rwandan government officials to February 3rd, for lack of witnesses. The so called Cyangugu trial was adjourned immediately after one of the accused , the former Commander of Karambo military camp, Lieutenant Samuel Imanishiwme who has been on the witness box since Monday, concluded testifying on his own defence.

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Judge George Lloyd Williams (Presiding) of Trial Chamber Three announced that there were no more witnesses for the session and hence the trial had to be postponed. No further details were given as to why there were no more witnesses. The other accused in the Cyangugu trial are former Prefect of Cyangugu (South West ) Rwanda, Emmanuel Bagambiki and former Transport and Communication Minister in the interim government, André Ntagerura. The prosecution alleged that the accused planned , incited and participated in the massacres that took place in their prefecture between April and July, 1994. They deny all charges. The case is before Trial Chamber Three, presided over by Judge George Lloyd Williams of St. Kitts and Nevis, assisted by Judges Yakov Ostrovsky of Russia and Pavel Dolenc of Slovenia. NI/CE/FH (CY0124e)