27.04.12 - RWANDA/JUSTICE - JUDGE GRANTS UWINKINDI FOUR MONTHS TO DECIDE IF WILLING TO PLEAD GUILTY

27 April 2012 By

Kigali, April 27, 2012 (FH) -A Rwandan judge granted on Friday a four-month delay to genocide-suspect Pastor Jean Uwinkindi, for him to have enough time to decide if he is willing to plead guilty or not guilty to the charges of “genocide” and “ crimes against humanity”.

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On Thursday, Uwinkindi requested this delay, arguing that he had met his lawyer, Gatera Gashabana, for the first time the day before, and had had no time to read the indictment.

“The tribunal rules that the delay of four months requested by the accused is granted”, Judge John Byaruhanga declared on Friday.

The next hearing is slated to take place on August 27.

Pastor Uwinkindi was arrested on June 30, 2010 in Uganda and transferred to the seat of ICTR in Arusha, Tanzania, two days later. On April 19, he was the first ICTR detainee ever transferred to the Rwandan Justice.

SRE-ER/GF