The Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunal (MICT) has confirmed on this 22nd October that Rwandan Justice has the necessary guarantees to ensure a fair trial in International Crime cases to handle the trial of Jean Uwinkindi.
Uwinkindi Jean, charged with genocide against Tutsi and crimes against humanity has been raising complaints that there is no fair trial in Rwandan judiciary which made him send a letter to MICT requesting the transfer of his trial in other countries.
The statemnent of MICT ruled on Thursday that Rwanda has the ability to handle the trial of Jean Uwinkindi.
The Trial Chamber cleared that Rwandan Justice systems has necessary guarantees to ensure transparency in the management of International Crime cases.
The statement proves that MICT considered effectiveness of Rwandan judiciary process to dismiss Uwinkindi’s appeal.
With this regard, Rwanda had already correctly concluded that it is necessary for Uwinkindi to have legal representation at all times.
The Rwanda Bar Association listing over 60 qualified lawyers to represent indigent persons and chance to appeal any decision Uwinkindi is not happy with are also considered as great achievements to ensure fair trial.
The Supreme Court rejected an appeal filed by Genocide suspect Uwinkindi in which he sought to retain his legal team refusing new lawyers assigned to him by Rwanda Bar Association.
Through the process of his trial, Uwinkindi has been assigned new defenders after the Supreme Court realized that his old team was delaying the trial.
The Supreme Court rejected Uwinkindi’s request saying that he had no evidence to prove incompetence of lawyers assigned to him.
The Uwinkindi trial has been marked by complaints regarding the composition of his counsel members and their payment which have delayed trial and culminated in the recent judgment.
Uwinkindi accused the government of failing to pay his lawyers as required by international agreement but the justice Ministry refuted saying there was a plan for the trial.
According to the statement of MINIJUST, the government of Rwanda had spent about 82 million Rwandan francs on the Uwinkindi case alone by January 2015.
Uwinkindi was a former Pastor of the Kayenzi Pentecostal Church in Nyamata Sector, Bugesera district. He was charged before ICTR with Genocide and extermination as a crime against humanity.
Uwinkindi was arrested in Uganda on 30 June 2010 and was the first person to be transferred to Rwanda from the ICTR in April 2012.
Other suspects transferred from the ICTR for similar crimes are Leon Mugesera (extradited from Canada), Charles Bandora (Norway), and Bernard Munyagishari.
Leave a Reply