30.03.09 - ICTR/KAREMERA - KAREMERA'S NAME HAS NEVER FEATURED IN GACACAS, CLAIMS WITNESS

Arusha, 30 March 2009 (FH) - In the trial of former leaders of the National Republican Movement for Democracy and Development (MRND), a former trainer of Gacaca judges in Kibuye prefecture, western Rwanda, stated Monday that no defendant had ever mentioned the name of Edouard Karemera, ex-vice-president of the former presidential party, over 1994 killings.

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The Prosecutor alleges that Karemera and his two co-defendants, former President and Secretary-General of MRND, took part in recruitment and arming of the Interahamwe militiamen, the main armed wing of the genocide committed against mainly ethnic Tutsis.

Testifying for the defence and presenting himself as a former trainer of gacaca judges in his zone, the witness affirmed that not once in his presence did the defendants - persons responsible for crimes in 1994 in his sector - had mentioned the name of Karemera.

"It was a scheme to mudsling Karemera", he underlined.

"Nobody distributed firearms in my commune", added the witness. He is the second witness to deny that the former vice-president of the former presidential party distributed weapons in the Kibuye prefecture.

The case considered as one of the most important of the Tribunal, the prosecution has the task to prove the existence, at the head of the former presidential party, of a joint criminal enterprise aiming at committing the genocide.

This joined trial began on 19 September 2005. The prosecutor rested his case on 4 December 2007.

 DC/MM/SC/GF

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