22.02.07 - ICTR/BIKINDI - THE PROSECUTION RESTS ITS CASE

Arusha, February 22, 2007- The prosecutor rested its case in the trial of a musician accused of having incited genocide through the language of his songs, Thursday before the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR). The trial started September 18, 2006. Twenty witnesses have already been heard, including two experts. On Thursday, what was supposed to be the last prosecution witness did not appear, the prosecutor having decided not to call him. Having arrived from Rwanda Wednesday, the witness subsequently met the prosecutor to whom he made a statement relatively favourable to Bikindi. In 2000, he had been questioned by prosecution investigators and he made serious accusations against Bikindi. The Irish senior trial attorney for the prosecution, Ian Morley, declared that the defence had the leisure of adding him to its own list of witnesses. “This would mean that we are putting to rest the presentation of our evidence,” stated the head of the prosecution team for the case, the Cameroonian William Egbe. The defence and the prosecution will meet again Friday with the judges, to determine how the trial will proceed. The defence witnesses should be able to appear starting mid-June. The last phase of the prosecution was nevertheless difficult for Bikindi, the artist having been in conflict with his lead counsel whose withdrawal he sought. The co-counsel, for his part, was damaged by allegations from the prosecution of witness tampering. Wednesday, the Registry, the service in charge of appointing and withdrawing defence counsels, heard separately from Bikindi and each of his lawyers. Its decision is being awaited. AT/KD © Hirondelle News Agency