MUSANZE - 40 members of the Rwandan judiciary are attending a two-day training workshop on witness and victim support and protection in Musanze District.

The training being attended by judges, prosecutors, judicial police and prisons officers, aims at familiarizing them with the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR)-Witness and Victims Support and Protection programme.
It was organised by the Institute of Legal Practice and Development in conjunction with the ICTR.

Speaking at the opening yesterday, the Registrar of ICTR, Adama Dieng, commended the government for the efforts of strengthening the tribunal’s witness protection programme.

"Rwandan authorities have been providing their unwavering’ support in ensuring that witnesses who are reported to be under threat, are fully protected in Rwanda….now that the end of our mandate is looming, it is important that Rwanda be assisted in its readiness to receive cases from ICTR,’’ Dieng said.

He noted that since the witness protection programme has become a major component of any credible criminal justice system, the training will equip participants with skills for successful management of the protection and support of witnesses.

The UN official revealed that the funding and installation of the video conference facility in the Supreme Court chambers will be funded by the German government, and the video link equipment will facilitate in auditioning  witnesses from abroad.

Rapheal Ngarambe, a national prosecutor who represented Prosecutor General Martin Ngoga, commended the ICTR for facilitating the training, saying that it will help equip the participants with the required knowledge.

The training will involve lessons on preventive protective measures during the pre-trial, trial and post trial phases to minimize witness exposure.

It will also focus on types and categories of witness and testimonies and rights, including obligations of witnesses.

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