 |
 |
|
|||||
|
Issue 00407 |
Feb 1 - 24, 2006 |
issn 0856 - 9135 |
||||
|
|||||||||||
|
UN Tribunal |
| Colonel Muvunyi requests french-speaking
co-counsel By Hirondelle News Agency The former commandant of the Non-Commissioned Officers' School (ESO) in Butare (southern Rwanda) has requested that he be assigned a French-speaking lawyer to assist his English-speaking lead counsel. Colonel Tharcisse Muvunyi, 54, has been on trial at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) for the last year where he faces accusations of genocide and crimes against humanity. He is accused, in particular, of sexual crimes committed by soldiers under his command during the 1994 genocide. He has pleaded not guilty. He reminded the tribunal that he had filed a motion in November 2005 asking for a new co-counsel, and that it had still not been acted upon. His previous co-counsel, Jean Flamme from Belgium withdrew after a misunderstanding with the lead counsel, Bill Taylor from the United States. Muvunyi's lawyer began presenting his defence case on December 5, 2005. The Colonel said that his right to a fair trial was not being respected "at this point of the proceedings". According to Muvunyi, his trial has "reached a critical stage", because most of his witnesses either testify in Kinyarwanda or French yet Taylor only speaks English. "The preparation of witnesses has suffered greatly thereby affecting my defence", he lamented to the court, adding that he would prefer a bilingual co-counsel. The presiding judge, Joseph Asoka de Silva from Sri Lanka ordered the Registry to treat the question "as a top priority" and that he expected an answer by Tuesday. Muvunyi's trial opened February 28, 2005. Judge Joseph Asoka Nihal de Silva is assisted by Judge Flavia Lattanzi from Italy and judge Florence Rita Arrey of Cameroon. The accused had asked for the proceedings be adjourned until a co-counsel could be appointed, but the trial continued with the testimony of defence witness code-named "MO28". If a defendant is unable to pay for their own defence, they can select three names from a list of lawyers registered with the ICTR. The final decision on who is chosen lies with the Registrar.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Updated:
January 07, 2006 . |
|
Webmaster: WDJMallya |
