THE International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) will ask the United Nations Security Council for a one year extension of its mandate so that it can deliver judgments on the pending cases and also try to apprehend five remaining Genocide master minds still on the run.

The one-year extension means that the court will wind up in 2011 instead of 2010 as expected.

This was revealed by the Spokesperson to the ICTR Prosecutor, Dr. Timothy Gallimore while addressing participants in the East African Law Society consultative meeting on the future of the UNICTR archives.

"The tribunal has not been able to deliver judgment on certain cases due to their complexity and notoriety, while some individuals are still at large,” noted Gallimore citing it as the reason the Chief Prosecutor will ask the next Security Council meeting to extend the mandate for at least a year.

He mentioned the case of Theoneste Bagosora, and three other individuals accused with him, that has lasted seven years. He said it involves joint military trials which the ICTR cannot convene.

Another case he mentioned was that of Pauline Nyiramasuhuko, currently the only woman ever charged with Rwanda Genocide atrocities and her five other co-accused.

Current Status

Currently the ICTR has 28 detainees on trial.12 are awaiting judgment, 14 are awaiting transfer while two are pending on appeal.

Arusha has a total of 56 detainees while seven:  Jean Paul Akayesu, Jean Kambanda, Clement Kayishema, Alfred Musema, Obed Ruzindana and Omar Serushago are serving sentences in Mali.

Another detainee Georges Ruggiu is serving a 12 year sentence in Italy, putting the total of current detainees at 63.

In its 14 years of existence, the ICTR has acquitted several of the suspected Genocide perpetrators who include Ignace Bagilishema, Emmanue Bagambakil, Andre Ntagerura, Jean Mpambara and Andre Rwamakuba while four were released on grounds ranging from lack of insufficient evidence, withdrawal of indictment and completion of sentences.

Two individuals died in detention while the cases of Munyeshyaka and Bucyibaruta were transferred to a National Jurisdiction (France). Another case involving Ngirabatware is awaiting transfer to the ICTR.

According to the ICTR, the number of the accused whose cases have been completed is 35 while 32 have had their judgment rendered after appeal, bringing the total of arrests to 44.

Though the statistics above may project a success story, Gallimore was put to task to explain why most Rwandan’s may not give credit to the ICTR as far as delivering justice and reconciliation, of which the Court was set up, is concerned.

Another delegate asked why the ICTR came up with a list of only 90 people yet thousands were involved in the planning of the genocide and also compared the success of the ICTR to Gacaca Local courts.

"There are over half a million people involved and all these could not be tried under the ICTR. We only targeted the ‘big fish’ or the Master minders and others would be charged under National courts,” explained Gallimore.

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