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Muhimana case moved to JanuaryBy Hirondelle News Agency The closing date in the trial of the former councillor of Gishyita (Kibuye province, western Rwanda) accused of genocide, has been moved from next week to January 2005.Mika Muhimana, 50, is facing four counts of genocide, complicity in genocide and crimes against humanity (rape and murder).The closing arguments have now been pushed forward to January 18 and 19, 2005.The trial stands out for two main reasons. This is the only trial where the prosecutor based the major percentage of his case on crimes of sexual violence allegedly committed by the accused. Muhimana=s trial has also broken the tribunal=s records as having taken the shortest time to complete. The trial opened March 29, 2004 and took 34 trial days to complete with the defence calling a record 33 witnesses within 14 days.Mika Muhimana was arrested in Tanzania on November 8, 1999 and transferred to the ICTR detention facilities in Arusha the same day. He is represented by James Nyabirungu Mwene Songa and Richard Kazadi Kabimba, both from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
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