27.02.08 - ICTR/RWAMAKUBA - ICTR COMPENSATES GENOCIDE ACQUITTED PERSON FOR LEGAL DISCREPANCY

Arusha, 27 February 2008 (FH) - The Registry of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), has finally paid US Dollars 2,000(approximately one million Rwandan Francs) to former Rwanda Education.

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Minister Andre Rwamakuba, being compensation for violation of his rights as was ordered by the court. The minister was acquitted in 2006.

The ICTR spokesperson, Roland Amoussouga, confirmed the payment, which the registry in the past said it had no money for such compensation.

Minister in the interim government in power during the genocide from April to July 1994, Rwamakuba was without a lawyer during the first months of his detention. The registry has the obligation to make sure that he was assisted by a lawyer at all stages of the procedure.

In a judgment delivered on 20 September 2006, the chamber gave Rwamakuba green light to claim for a compensation for the violation of his rights.

Consequently, the former minister, assisted by his lawyer David Hooper, filed a motion and received from the chamber a decision obligating the registry to pay 2, 000 American dollars.

The judges, however, rejected Rwamakuba's claims for reparations for having been arrested and detained for nearly eight years.

Since his acquittal. Rwamakuba is stuck in Arusha waiting to find a host country. The Prosecutor did not appeal the lower court's acquittal order.

According to Hirondelle sources, Rwamakuba shares his secret residence with Andre Ntagerura, former minister for transport, who has also been acquitted by the court of genocide charges and declared a free person. Ntagerura is also waiting to find a host country.

The ICTR spokesman was reported recently to have said that all efforts are made to see acquitted persons are getting a host country.

The tribunal was also working on transfer of 18 convicted persons, still held at the UN Special Detention Facility, on the outskirts of Arusha.

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© Hirondelle News Agency