UN TRIBUNAL WORKER ARRESTED OVER FAKE IDENTITY

"We have not yet established his true names and nationality," an immigration officer told Hirondelle. The translator is employed by the ICTR under the names Patrick Ssimbwa Bugingo. He was hired in August, 2001 to work for the defence team of former mayor of Bicumbi Laurent Semanza, currently on trial for genocide. Semanza had requested a translator into the Rwandan language Kinyarwanda, saying he did not understand either French or English very well. The translator is the second ICTR employee to be arrested over fake identity. Former Rwandan regional prosecutor Simeon Nshamihigo was arrested in May after having worked as a defence investigator for about three years under a false Congolese name (Weza Sami Bahati) and passport. Nshamihigo is in ICTR detention awaiting trial for genocide and other related crimes. The immigration officer said that the passport was number B121305. He added that the passport had been declared lost, and nullified by Ugandan authorities. The immigration officer also said that the passport that was to expire in 2000 had been falsely extended to 2005. "The physical description of the holder also radically contradicts the looks of this man," he added. The ICTR spokesperson could not be immediately reached for comment. GG/JC/PHD/FH (AR1121e)