The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, yesterday, started carrying out special deposition proceedings in the case of the 1994 genocide architect and financier Félicien Kabuga.
Kabuga is charged with eleven counts including ; conspiracy to commit genocide, genocide, complicity in genocide, direct and public incitement to commit genocide.
Others are ; crimes against humanity (murder, extermination, rape, persecution, inhumane acts) and serious violations of Article 3 common to the Geneva Conventions and Additional Protocol II.
The proceedings follow a successful application by the Prosecution earlier this year for the taking of the disposition, seeking to safeguard evidence against Kabuga and two others, Augustin Bizimana, former Minister of Defence and Major Protais Mpiranya, who was Commander of the Presidential Guard, pursuant to Rule 71 bis of the Rules of Procedure and Evidence.
“The process is designed to ensure that the evidence against the accused is preserved and that the continued evasion of justice by the fugitives does not, in the event of unavailability of the witnesses, erode the ability of the prosecution to establish the case against the accused when they are eventually arrested and brought to trial,” ICTR Prosecutor Hassan Bubacar Jallow told reporters yesterday.
The accused is represented by duty Counsel Bahame Nyanduga, who was appointed by the ICTR Registrar.
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