27.08.09 - ICTR/NDAHIMANA - ICTR COMPLAINS OVER DELAYED TRANSFER OF GENOCIDE-ACCUSED FROM DRC

27 August 2009 By

Arusha, 27 August 2009 (FH) - The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) threatened on Thursday to file an official complaint before the United Nations against the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) which still has not transferred a genocide accused arrested two weeks ago on Congolese territory.

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Prosecuted for genocide and crimes against humanity, the former Mayor of Kivumu (western Rwanda), Gregoire Ndahimana was arrested on 11 August in eastern DRC, on the basis of an arrest warrant issued by the ICTR.

"We have difficulties with the Congolese authorities. If they continue we will file an official complaint to the Secretary-General (of the U.N.)", an ICTR source hinted to the Hirondelle Agency.

"Two missions which were to go to Congo for his (Ndahimana's) transfer were cancelled. Each time, they said to us that they were still questioning him", added the source.

"They telephoned us not to come", deplored the source.

Ndahimana is prosecuted for the massacre of more than a thousand Tutsis who had sought refuge at the complex of the Catholic Church of Nyange, Kivumu commune. These refugees died when the church building was destroyed by a bulldozer, on the alleged order of the former mayor and other local officials.

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