BUTARE TRIAL ADJOURNED TO TUESDAY

Arusha, April 8, 2004 (FH) – The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) on Thursday adjourned the “Butare trial” to next Tuesday following the Easter recess which starts on Friday. Trial Chamber Two adjourned the case after it had discussed a motion on the alleged illegality of the arrest of one of the six accused on this trial, the former minister of Family and Women Affairs, Pauline Nyiramasuhuko in Nairobi on July 18, 1997.

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The motion was presented by Nicole Bergevin, lead counsel for Nyiramasuhuko. No ruling has been made yet on the matter. In response to the motion, Sylviana Arbia on behalf of the prosecution asked the chamber to dismiss the motion as it had already been dealt with by the late Judge Laity Kama. On Tuesday the Chamber expects to hear the evidence from the 47th prosecution witness code-named QBU. Earlier, the defence teams finished the cross examination of prosecution witness QAH who started his testimony on Tuesday. The accused in this trial are Nyaramasuhuko's son and militia leader, Arsene Shalom Ntahobali, two former Butare prefect, Alphonse Nteziryayo and Sylvain Nsabimana, Elie Ndayambaje, former mayor of Muganza commune and that of Ngoma, Joseph Kanyabashi. All have pleaded not guilty to genocide and crimes against humanity. The trial is taking place in Trial Chamber Two of the ICTR, composed of Judge William Hussein Sekule of Tanzania (presiding), Judge Arlette Ramaroson from Madagascar and Judge Solomy Balungi Bossa of Uganda. NI/CE/FH (BT''0408e)