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Arusha, April 27, 2007 (FH) \u2013 Simeon Nshamihigo, aged 46, a former judge in Cyangugu (southwest Rwanda), started the presentation of the evidence in his defense at the international Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) where is being tried for genocide and crimes against humanity.
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\nHis trial started on September 25, 2006. \u00a0The prosecution rested its case on January 29, 2007 after having called twenty-four witnesses.
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\nNshamihigo\u2019s defense, composed of two Canadian lawyers, Mr. Denis Turcotte and Mr. Henry Benoit announced \u201cabout fifty witnesses.\u201d \u00a0At the outset, they severely criticized the prosecution witnesses, arguing \u201cthe weakness of the prosecution\u2019s position\u201d and consequently \u201cthe fragility of the trial\u2019s foundation,\u201d promising to call \u201cdirect witnesses\u201d to the Tutsi massacres of which Nshamihigo is accused and who should prove his innocence.
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\nOne of the witnesses heard this week exculpated the defendant in the assassination, in May 1994, of the Catholic priest Joseph Boneza and numerous other victims.
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\nThe Chamber also heard the testimony of the defendant\u2019s wife, Mrs. Colette Uwaubuheta. \u00a0She specifically said that Nshamihigo\u2019s home had been attacked by wounded soldiers from the front. \u00a0They suspected him of harbouring \u201cInyenzi\u201d (cockroaches, the pejorative term used to designate Tutsis), she said. \u00a0Seven other witnesses should be heard next week.
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\nOther than this trial, the Tribunal continued hearings this week in two other cases: Butare and Military II.
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\nGrouping together six defendants including the only woman detainee in the ICTR, former minister Pauline Nyiramasuhuko, the Butare (south) trial started on June 12, 2001. \u00a0The fourth co-defendant is presenting her defense.
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\nThe Military II trial started on September 20, 2004. \u00a0It involves four high ranking officials including two former Chiefs of General Staff: General Augustin Bizimungu (army) and General Augustin Ndindiliyiamana (police).
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\nBizimungu was the first to present his defense. \u00a0He is currently in his second week. \u00a0This trial doubles that of Military I, which involves four other officers including the former Director of the Cabinet at the Ministry of Defense, Colonel Theoneste Bagosora.
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\nThe Tribunal also held a hearing Friday in the trial of Hormisdas Nsengimana, a Catholic priest accused of genocide. \u00a0Father Nsengimana, aged 53 years, former rector at the prestigious college of Christ-the-King in Nyanza (south) re-entered a not-guilty plea on the basis of a new indictment which includes three counts: genocide, assassinations and extermination as crimes against humanity. \u00a0The previous indictment contained four counts: genocide, criminal conspiracy, assassination and extermination as a crime against humanity. \u00a0Nsengimana was arrested in Cameroon on March 21, 2002.
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\nAT\/PB\/KD
\n\u00a0\u00a9 Hirondelle News Agency<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Arusha, April 27, 2007 (FH) \u2013 Simeon Nshamihigo, aged 46, a former judge in Cyangugu (southwest Rwanda), started the presentation of the evidence in his defense at the international Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) where is being tried for genocide and crimes against humanity. \u00a0 His trial started on September 25, 2006. \u00a0The prosecution rested […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":64,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[555],"tags":[],"ji_location":[],"class_list":["post-18689","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-hirondellenews"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n