The trial of Ildephonse Hategekimana will close at the end of this month at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), according to reports.

The accused, a former officer in the Ex-FAR, is charged with Genocide or complicity to Genocide, murder and rape as crimes against humanity.

According to news agencies, Hategekimana’s closing arguments which had been scheduled for last Thursday have now been pushed to April 26.

Last year, prosecutor William Egbe told the Arusha-based court that the accused exercised his authority and ordered soldiers to carry out the massacres.

"He ordered Hutu civilians, Interahamwe and soldiers to kill Tutsis in Butare (Southern Province),” the Senior Trial Attorney said.

Egbe added that Hategekimana ordered soldiers in the Ngoma camp to rape Tutsi girls and women before killing them and that he also armed the perpetrators of the acts with grenades, machetes and guns.

The prosecution concluded its case in May last year after presenting 20 witnesses and the defence rested its case on October 7 after fielding the same number.

Hategekimana, who commanded the military camp of Ngoma, Butare, (now the Southern Province), is part of the five accused that the ICTR Prosecutor, Hassan Bubacar Jallow, had sought in vain to transfer to Rwandan courts.

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