14.04.09 - ICTR/HATEGEKIMANA - CHAMBER TO HEAR LAST FOUR PROSECUTION WITNESSES WEDNESDAY

Arusha, 14 April 2009 (FH) - Trial Chamber II of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), Wednesday starts hearing the last four prosecution witnesses in the genocide case of the former Rwandan Lieutenant Ildephonse Hategekimana.

Cameroonian Prosecuting Counsel, William Egbe, told Hirondelle News Agency Tuesday that he has already fielded 16 prosecution witnesses and that only four were left including one factual witness and three others who would testify via video link from Kigali, Rwanda.

According to Egbe, the Chamber, which is Presided by Judge Arlette Ramaroson from Madagascar, would start hearing testimony of a protected prosecution witness, code-named ‘'BYS'' , on Wednesday morning via video link.

Most part of the hearing of prosecution witnesses was in closed sessions. The trial started on March 16, 2009. 

Accused of genocide, complicity to genocide, murder and rape, the army officer who commanded the small military camp of Ngoma, Butare, southern Rwanda, in 1994, was accused of personally directing murderous attacks against ethnic Tutsis and rapes.

A native of Mugina, in the former prefecture of Gitarama, central Rwanda, Hategekimana, who has pleaded not guilty, was part of the five defendants that the ICTR Prosecutor, Hassan Bubacar Jallow, sought in vain to have them tried in Rwanda.

NI/SC/GF

© Hirondelle News Agency

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