TRIAL CONTINUES WITH TESTIMONY OF DEFENCE WITNESS

Arusha, January 15, 2003 (FH) -The trial of former Rwandan Minister for Higher Education, Jean de Dieu Kamuhanda, continued before the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda on Wednesday with the testimony of the tenth defence witness. Kamuhanda is charged with eight counts including genocide, complicity in genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, including rape and murder.

1 min 9Approximate reading time

These crimes were allegedly committed in his native Gikomero commune (Kigali province, central Rwanda). The protected witnessed dubbed GPR testified mainly on the massacre of the Tutsis who had sought refuge at the parish in Gikomero commune on April 12th 1994. GPR's husband was one of the Rwandese killed that day. The witness, who lived near the church, told the chamber she saw the attackers slaughtering cows of their victims outside the church where the corpses were littered. "I did not hear shots being fired but the refugees were killed using the firearms the attackers had," she said. GPR said only two Tutsis survived the attack by the Interahamwe. She added that the assailants looted her property and the pastor's before they left. Asked if she knew Kamuhanda, she said she had never seen him in her life and that she only knew Kamuhanda's father. He was her neighbour. She furtheradded that Kamuhanda was not among the attackers at the parish. " I did not hear people mention Kamuhanda's name. If he had come to Gikomero during the genocide, the people would have said so," GPG stated. These crimes were allegedly committed in his native Gikomero commune (Kigali province, central Rwanda). The trial continues on Thursday with the testimony of another protected witness named GP. She began her testimony on Wednesday afternoon in closed session. This trial is before Trial Chamber II composed of Judges William Hussein Sekule of Tanzania (presiding), Arlette Ramaroson (Madagascar) Winston Churchhill Matanzima Maqutu (Lesotho). PJ/CE/FH (KH0115e)