The Chamber presided by Judge William Hussein Sekule also ordered the parties (defence and prosecution) to file closing briefs - that should not exceed 30,000 words - simultaneously by 14 May, 2012.
On Monday, the case was adjourned until further notice after the prosecution had completed presentation of its rebuttal witnesses to challenge the accused defence of alibi.
Mylene Dimitri, Lead Defence Counsel for Ngirabatware, had already filed a rejoinder motion to field witnesses to challenge the testimony of the prosecution rebuttal witnesses.
The prosecution had formerly concluded its case on August 31, 2010 after presenting 20 witnesses but was allowed to bring eight extra witnesses in an attempt to rebut Ngirabatware’s absence in Rwanda during genocide between April 23 and May 23, 1994. The accused claims that within the period in question he was in Senegal and Swaziland.
The ex-minister is charged with conspiracy to commit genocide, genocide or in the alternative, complicity in genocide, direct and public incitement to commit genocide, extermination and rape as crimes against humanity.
The defence had previously closed its case on February 22, 2012 after calling 35 witnesses including the accused.
Ngirabatware was arrested in Germany in connection with the charges on September 17, 2007 and transferred to ICTR custody in Arusha, Tanzania on October 8, 2008. A doctor in economics, the former minister has pleaded not guilty to all the charges. His trial took off on September 22, 2009.
NI/ER/GF