KAJELIJELI TRIAL TO RESUME NEXT MONDAY

Arusha November 14th, 2002 (FH)- The genocide trial of former mayor of Mukingo Commune (Ruhengeri Province, north-western Rwanda) Juvénal Kajelijeli is set to resume before the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda on Monday with the testimony of defence witnesses. The trial was prematurely adjourned on October 9 th after four defence witnesses failed to travel from Rwanda to ICTR in Arusha.

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The defence intends to present thirty witnesses. Before the adjournment, five defence witnesses testified in camera. They testified mainly on alibi defence for Kajelijeli from September 17th. The case is before ICTR's Trial Chamber Two, composed of Judges William Hussein Sekule of Tanzania (presiding), Arlette Ramaroson (Madagascar) and Winston Churchill Matanzima Maqutu (Lesotho). The chamber is alternately hearing the Kajelijeli trial and the Butare trial which was adjourned on Wednesday 13th October to February next year. Kajelijeli, 50, has pleaded not guilty to eleven counts of genocide and crimes against humanity. The prosecution maintains that he instigated, planned and participated in the killing of Tutsis in Mukingo and adjoining communes in 1994. The prosecution closed its case on April 10, 2002, after testimony of 14 witnesses. Lawyers American Professor Lennox Hinds and Professor Nkeyi Bompaka of the Democratic Republic of Congo represent Kajelijeli while Ken Fleming of Australia is prosecuting. Kajelijeli's trial began in March 13th 2001. PJ/FH (KJ-1114e)