21.05.09 - ICTR/KALIMANZIRA - ICTR TO RENDER VERDICT ON EX-RWANDAN SENIOR OFFICIAL JUNE 16

Arusha, 21 May 2009 (FH) - The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) will render its second judgement since the beginning of the year   in the genocide trial of a former Rwandan senior official of the interior ministry , Callixte Kalimanzira, on 16 June, reports Hirondelle Agency.

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Kalimanzira, an agronomist by training, was during the closing stages of the1994 genocide, Acting Interior Minister.

On 20 April, the prosecutor, Ousman Jammeh, had requested for life imprisonment while the lead defence counsel, Arthur Vercken, had asked for an acquittal of the accused.

The most serious facts charged against Kalimanzira relate to the alleged role he played in the massacre of thousands of ethnic Tutsis who had sought refuge on Kabuye Hill, sub-prefecture of Gisagara, Butare, southern Rwanda, towards the end of April 1994.

Committed by soldiers, Interahamwe militiamen and Burundian Hutu refugees, the slaughter on Kabuye Hill lasted several days, according to the prosecution.

This judgement ---one of the fastest in the ICTR's 15 year history-follows that of Priest Emmanuel Rukundo, who was sentenced to 25 years in prison in February.

The UN Tribunal, set up to try key suspects of the 1994 genocide, has so fat convicted 38 persons and acquitted six.

The Kalimanzira trial opened on 5 May 2008. The prosecutor rested his case on 30 June 2008 after having called 24 witnesses.

The defence rested its case on 11 February, 2009 at the end of the testimony of the defendant, the 43rd and last defence witness.

Kalimanzira surrendered to the Tanzanian authorities in November 2005 from neighbouring Kenya, where he lived with his family.

ER/MM/SC/GF   

© Hirondelle News Agency