PROSECUTION PRESENTS 63 EXHIBITS

Arusha, November 7, 2003 (FH) - The trial of four former Rwandan cabinet Ministers entered its second day on Friday at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) with the prosecutor presenting 63 exhibits through a witness. The case, commonly referred to as “Government II”, is laso known as prosecutor versus Bizimungu and allies.

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It groups four former cabinet ministers: the former ministers of Health, Casimir Bizimungu, of Foreign Affairs Jérôme Bicamumpaka, that of Commerce, Justin Mugenzi and Prosper Mugiraneza, former minister of Public Service. They are charged with six counts of conspiracy to commit genocide, genocide, complicity in genocide, direct and public incitement to commit genocide, crimes against humanity and violation of Article 3 common to the Geneva Convention. Maxwell Nkole from Zambia, the chief investigator in the prosecutor's office, and the first prosecution witness presented the exhibits which the prosecution intends to use in the course of presentation of its case. The prosecution intends to present a total of 190 exhibits through Nkole. The exhibits include transcripts and audio and audio-visual tapes which the prosecution collected from various media houses in Rwanda. It contains speeches allegedly made by the suspects during the genocide. In addition to the exhibits, Nkole has also prepared a voluminous report on the genocide in Rwanda. According to the prosecutor, these exhibits tend to show that there was “complicity in genocide”, as he stated in his opening statement on ThursdayThe defence counsels in the case have objected to some of the exhibits being admitted into evidence. They doubt their veracity. The prosecution is composed of Paul Ng'arua (Kenya), Ibokunulu Babajide (Nigeria) and Melanie Werret (Zimbabwe and the UK) while the defence consists of Michelyne Chénard St-Laurent (Canada) for Bizimungu, Howard Morrison(UK) for Mugenzi, Peirre Gaudreau (Canada) for Bicamumpaka and Tom Moran (USA) for Mugarineza. The trial will continue on Monday with the evidence of Nkole. The prosecution intends to call about sixty witnesses. The trial is before Trial Chamber Two where Judge Asoka de Zoyza Gunawardana (Sri Lanka) is presiding assisted by judges Lee Muthoga (Kenya) and Khalida Rashid Khan (Pakistan)PJ/CE/FH (GVII'1107e)