Arusha, 13 February 2008 (FH) - Former Kigali Mayor Tharcisse Renzaho accused of the 1994 genocide, will start his closing arguments beginning Thursday, reports Hirondelle Agency.
\nThis trial opened on 8 January 2007.<\/p>\n
The trial is presided by Judge Erik Mose (Norway), assisted by Judges Serguei Egorov (Russia) and Rita Arrey (Cameroon). The defence lawyers are François Cantier (France) and Barnabe Nekuie (Cameroon) whereas the prosecution is led by Jonathan Moses (New Zealand).<\/p>\n
Renzaho, former soldier, was the last civilian official in the capital after the entire government fled to the south of the country in 1994. In spite of the collapse of the state, he remained at his post until the advancing pro-Tutsi Rwanda Patriotic Front gained military victory.<\/p>\n
The former mayor is accused of genocide and murder as a crime against humanity. He has pleaded not guilty.<\/p>\n
His lawyers have protested on several occasions to the court over the pressure exerted by the Rwandan regime on potential defence witnesses who they were on the point of being summoned. It is claimed that one of them even had to flee his country.<\/p>\n
The prosecution called 24 witnesses and the defence 28, including the defendant.<\/p>\n
PB\/AT\/MM\/SC\/GF
\n© Hirondelle News Agency<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Arusha, 13 February 2008 (FH) - Former Kigali Mayor Tharcisse Renzaho accused of the 1994 genocide, will start his closing arguments beginning Thursday, reports Hirondelle Agency.<\/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-19758","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-hirondellenews"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n