05.05.09 - ICTR/HATEGEKIMANA - HATEGEKIMANA: PROSECUTION RESTS ITS CASE IN TRIAL OF ARMY OFFICER

Arusha, 5 May 2009 (FH) - The prosecutor rested its case on Monday in the trial of Lieutenant Ildephonse Hategekimana, accused of genocide and crimes against humanity before the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR).

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"We rested our case yesterday (Monday) at the end of the testimony of the 20th witness (prosecution) who testified via videoconference from Kigali", Cameroonian William Egbe who heads the prosecution team in the case told Hirondelle Agency Tuesday.

The proceedings have been deferred until 22 June, the date of the opening of the defence case, he added.

The lieutenant, who commanded a small military camp in southern Rwanda in 1994, has been on trial since 16 March.

A native of the former commune of Mugina, in the center of Rwanda, Hategekimana, who has claimed his innocence, is charged of crimes committed in the university residence of Butare (southern Rwanda) and its surroundings in 1994. .

He was among five defendants that the ICTR prosecutor, Hassan Bubacar Jallow, sought in vain to transfer to Rwandan courts.

The ICTR judges declined transfer requests to Rwanda, affirming to have concerns about the safety of the witnesses.

ER/MM/SC/GF

© Hirondelle News Agency