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MR. Z due to
re-appear May next year
by
Hirondelle News Agency
The
closing arguments of the trial of Protais Zigiranyirazo, called Mr. Z, a
brother-in-law of the former President Juvénal Habyarimana, accused of
genocide before the International Criminal Court for Rwanda (ICTR) are
scheduled for May 2008.
Arrested in Belgium in July 2001, Zigiranyirazo, 69, has been on trial
since 3 October 2005. He has pleaded not guilty.
On
Tuesday, he called his last defence witness. He had called a total of
41 witnesses compared to 24 for the prosecution.
The
prosecution theory was that the genocide was planned by the Akazu (small
house in Kinyarwanda), a circle composed of close relations of the
former president, including Mr. Z. The defence pleaded that the concept
of Akazu was an invention by opponents with the aim of discrediting the
Habyarimana regime.
Zigiranyirazo was a prefect in Kibuye (western Rwanda) and Ruhengeri
(northern Rwanda) between 1974 and 1989. He then became a businessman.
The prosecution alleges that although he was not a formal part of the
central administration for several years, Zigiranyirazo exerted an
influence on senior officials and army officers until 1994 because of
his bonds with the presidential family. Witnesses on the workings of the
Rwandan administration came to say that it was ridiculous.
Zigiranyirazo appeared before a chamber presided by Judge Inés Monica de
Roca (Argentina), assisted by Khalida Rachid Khan (Pakistan) and Lee
Gacuiga Muthoga (Kenya).
The
chamber went to Rwanda in November to visit the areas mentioned in the
indictment.
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