According to a statement issued by the UN Department of Public Information on Tuesday, three judges hearing the case of ex-Rwandan Planning Minister Augustin Ngirabatware would continue serving on the Tribunal until December 31, 2012, or the completion of the case.
They are William Hussein Sekule (Tanzania), Solomy Balungi Bossa (Uganda) and Mparany Richard Rajohnson (Madagascar). Their term of office was due to expire on June 30, 2012.
The Assembly also extended the term of office for Judge Vagn Joensen until December 31, 2014, so that he could perform the functions required of him as trial judge and President of the Tribunal. “The extension would be reviewed in June 2013,” the statement further reads.
In reaching that decision, the Assembly took into consideration two letters from the President of the Security Council and that of UN Secretary-General, both addressed to the President of the General Assembly.
The approval of the extensions comes few days after the UN Security Council unanimously passed a Resolution, permitting the four judges to serve beyond the expiry of their terms of office in order to complete the work of the court.
FK/NI/GF