30.01.09 - ICTR/KARERA - APPEALS CHAMBER TO DELIVER KARERA'S JUDGMENT MONDAY

30 January 2009 By

Arusha, 30 January 2008 (FH) - The Appeals Chamber of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) will on Monday render a judgment on former Kigali Rural Governor, François Karera, 70, sentenced to life imprisonment on December 7, 2007.

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Karera was found guilty of genocide, extermination and murder by the court of first instance but appealed to the higher court.

According to the lower court's ruling, Karera incited, helped and encouraged the massacres of Tutsis between April and June, 1994 in the commune of Rushashi and in the church of Ntarama as in Nyamirambo, a district of Kigali where he had a residence.

At the time of the appeal hearing on August 28, last year Karera claimed his innocence. "I rely on the wisdom of the Appeals Chamber which I humbly ask to acquit me of all the counts charged", pleaded ex-Governor.

The appellant banked on the defence of alibi which he claimed the court of first instance did not take into consideration in its judgment.

Karera was arrested in Nairobi, Kenya, on October 20, 2001 and was transferred the following day to the ICTR detention, in Arusha, northern Tanzania.

NI/SC/GF