CYANGUGU TRIAL RESUMES ON MONDAY

Prosecution maintains that all three are guilty of massacres of Tutsis in Cyangugu during the 1994 genocide. They have pleaded not guilty. The trial was adjourned on May 29th, after the testimony of the twenty-seventh defence witness for Ntagerura. The witness, a former Rwandan Minister for Justice Charles Nkurunziza said in his testimony that the 1994 killings in Rwanda were not an ethnic or tribal issue but a power struggle. After Nkurunziza's testimony, Ntagerura's defence informed the court of the schedule of the next witnesses who are to be heard when the case resumes. Ntagerura himself is expected to testify as the last factual witness, after the testimony of several expert and factual witnesses. His co-accused will start presenting their cases on completion of Ntagerura's. According to lead counsel Benoit Henry of Canada, Ntagerura's defence expects to complete its case during the next trial session that starts on Monday. The trial is before ICTR's Trial Chamber Three, composed of judges Lloyd George Williams of St. Kitts and Nevis (presiding), Yakov Ostrovsky of Russia and Pavel Dolenc of Slovenia. SW/JA/DO/FH (CY-0628e)