{Nyarugenge court of first instance has decided to postpone the trial of former senator Nzirasanabo Anastase who is being charged of genocide crimes and other crimes against humanity.}
The trial was postponed this morning because Nzirasanabo’s lawyer had a death in the family and was not available to represent his client in court.
Therefore, the court hearing has been postponed to November 21st, 2013. Alex Niyimpaye one of Nzirasanabo’ s lawyers claimed there was a group of people who were planning to black mail the charged.
Nzirasanabo has been accused of 3 crimes; which, includes the support of genocide practitioners who took part in the 1994 genocide and committing other crimes against humanity. And also establishing and developing various violent groups including the youth which amortized the number of killings that took place in Mataba.
Nzirasanabo is also accused of being involved in the murder of Dr. Theoneste Gafaranga, who was killed near the main roundabout of Kigali city on May 16th 1994. In addition to this, Nzirasanabo will stand trial in the murder of two other individuals.
Moreover, in relations to his charge of crimes against humanity during the 1994 genocide; Nzirasanabo is accused of taking the lives of 6 victims in Mataba and Gakenke sectors.
Nzirasanabo denies all charges against him and claims that he’s innocent. The accused mentioned a group of people who he alleges purpose to destroy his reputation and taint his name.
The people he mentioned include: Makuba Aaron and Ntahondi Ezekiel. Nzirasanabo added that he possesses the recordings which can act as the evidence to help prove his innocence.
These recordings were supposed to be heard today in court but unfortunately the hearing has been postponed to 21st November this year.
However, Nyarugenge court of first instance postponed the case hearings today in the presence of Nzirasanabo and some of his defendants.
According to Nsengiyumva Stratton, one of the accused’s lawyers, insists that his client is innocent and is in the right position to be free after the case is concluded on 21st of November this year.
This case was transferred to the Nyarugenge court of first instance after the gacaca local juridical because his crime is in the first category of the genocide crime rankings.
Nzirasanabo Anastase was a senator in the Rwandan parliament representing the PSD party where he was also one of its leaders before the Rwandan 1994 Tutsi genocide, which led to the massacre of more than 1million innocent people.
Richard Mugarura
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