03.05.11 - ICTR/NZABONIMANA - CHAMBER BEGINS EXTRA HEARINGS IN FORMER MINISTER NZABONIMANA'S CASE

Arusha, May 3, 2011 (FH) - The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) Tuesday begun extra defence hearings in the case involving former minister of Youth Callixte Nzabonimana.

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The defence case was on April 7 declared formally closed, with the exception of two possible more alibi witnesses.

The defendant contends that he was hiding at the French embassy in Kigali between April  7 and 11, 1994, while the prosecution claims he was, at the same time, in his home prefecture Gitarama, inciting and supervising Tutsis massacres.

One of the extra witnesses, a Rwandan lady code-named T11, testified in closed session.

The hearing continues Wednesday.   

Nzabonimana is facing five charges of genocide, conspiracy to commit genocide, direct and public incitement to commit genocide, extermination and murder. The Prosecution presents him as the main instigator of the killings in his home prefecture of Gitarama.

Nzabonimana, a member of the former presidential party MRND, was arrested in Tanzania on February 18, 2008.

His trial opened on November 9, 2009.

NI-ER/GF

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