11.01.07 - ICTR/MPAMBARA - THE DEFENSE TEAM OF MPAMBARA REACT TO RAPP’S STATEMENTS

Arusha, January 11th 2007 (FH) – Following the interview Mr. Stephen Rapp, lead prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), gave to Hirondelle Agency and in which he declared that, in Mpambara’s case, the prosecution had been handicapped by the death of a key witness, we received this reply from the defense team of the acquitted: « In his interview of January 2nd 2007, Mr. Stephen Rapp declared that « Eye witnesses forget the details of what happened; they get sick or die. This happened in Mpambara’s case; our key witness died before he could testify. It is hard to find new witnesses with enough strength ». This statement tends to suggest that the conclusion of the trial of Jean Mpambara could have been different, in other words that he did not deserve being acquitted. » The experience of the trial of Jean Mpambara taught us what to think of the prosecutor’s so called « key witnesses »: they were key witnesses only up to the moment they were interrogated by the defense. The complete reading of the sentence of acquittal shows that the prosecution’s essential witnesses did not even pass the credibility test. » The two defense attorneys, Mr. Arthur Vercken et Mr. Vincent COURCELLE-ABROUSSE, then quote excerpts of the judgment. The tribunal itself, they recall, judged that the prosecution evidences "is weak, disconnected, uncorroborated ». Concerning the behavior of Jean Mpambara, a Spanish priest attested of the desperation the accused showed during the conversation they had before he left. « It was thus not the absence of evidence beyond reasonable doubt alone that led to the acquittal of Jean Mpambara, but also his complete innocence », Jean Mpambara’s attorneys conclude. PB/MG © Hirondelle News Agency