She said that the defence is waiting for the investigation report from Jean Haguma, the president of the Bar of Kigali concerning the allegations against the defense investigator, Leonidas Nchogoza to file the closing arguments.
" We have been ordered to file the closing brief on December 6, 2007 but as long as we have no yet got the report on the question of our investigator and the prosecution witness, BLP who is alleged to give false testimony, we are not filing the required arguments", declared the source.
Léonidas Nshogoza the investigator in question was arrested in Rwanda in mid-June in connection with the case involving the protected witness BLP. That investigator is still hold in prison charged of having pressured that witness.
The trial of abbot Emmanuel Rukundo commenced on 15 November 2006 and the prosecution closed its case on 12 March 2007 after having called 18 witnesses within 25 trial days.
The defence started its case on 9 July 2007 and called about 30 witnesses during 25 trial days. During the hearing period, the chamber rendered 14 written and 1 oral decision.
Rukundo is in detention with two other catholic priests, Athanase Seromba and Hormisdas Nsengimana.
Nsengimana is still on trial, like Rukundo; while Seromba was sentenced in first instance to 15 years in prison.
Abbot Emmanuel Rukundo is presented by Aicha Conde (France) as a defence counsel and Alison Turner (Canada) her co-counsel.
AS/PB
© Hirondelle News Agency