27.10.09 - ICTR/BAGARAGAZA - JUDGEMENT OF EX-RWANDAN TEA BOSS SET FOR NOVEMBER 5

27 October 2009 By

Arusha, 27 October 2009 (FH) -The Chamber II of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) will hear for three days beginning November 2 the sentence hearing of Michael Bagaragaza, former head of the Rwandan Tea Authority, who has already pleaded guilty to his role in the 1994 genocide.

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According to ICTR press statement Tuesday, the Chamber will pronounce its judgement in the case on November 5.

Bagaragaza, aged 55, a close friend of the former Rwandan President Juvenal Habyarimana, admitted to complicity to commit genocide on September 17, this year.

This was the ninth guilty plea before the ICTR.

Bagaragaza had hoped to be tried in Europe, in exchange for his collaboration with the Prosecution. Having testified against genocide accused, including Protais Zigiranyirazo, Habyarimana's brother-in-law, Bagaragaza claimed he feared for his safety, and was transferred to The Hague.

Efforts by the Prosecutor to have Bagaragaza tried in Norway and later in the Netherlands failed owing to both European countries not having any jurisdiction to try genocide cases.

The referral order was therefore revoked and Bagaragaza was transferred back to Arusha on May 20, 2008.

Bagaragaza, who voluntarily surrendered to the ICTR on 16 August 2005, initially pleaded not guilty to the four counts of which he was indicted including "genocide" and "conspiracy to commit genocide".

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