Ndahimana to be transferred to Arusha soon - ICTR Prosecutor

ARUSHA - The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) Hassan Bubacar Jallow has said that Genocide suspect Gregoire Ndahimana will soon be transferred to the Arusha based UN detention facility. In an interview with The New Times yesterday, Jallow also lauded the joint offensive by the UN Peacekeeping Force in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC) which he said contributed to Ndahimana’s arrest. Ndahimana was a former mayor of Kivumu commune, now in the Western Province and he was arrested last week in the Eastern DRC on an indictment issued by the ICTR over his role in the 1994 Genocide. “We are closely working with the Government in Kinshasa to effect the transfer and this will be soon,” Jallow said without divulging details of when the transfer will be made. “This paves way for further arrests of Genocide fugitives.” Ndahimana was arrested in a village in North Kivu province last week. He is accused of being instrumental in the killing of Tutsi who had sought refugee at the Nyange parish. Meanwhile, the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) has welcomed Ndahimana’s arrest and called on the international community to lend a hand in apprehending the remaining Genocide suspects. “This is very useful progress and it’s a plus on our side. We have always asked member states to cooperate in having such arrests because they are under obligation to do so,” said Nathan Byamukama the acting ICGLR Executive Secretary. Last week, the ICTR Deputy Prosecutor, Bongani Majola, said that DRC is still home to eight wanted Genocide fugitives, adding however that the number keeps fluctuating with time. Five cases are on trial stage at the ICTR, while twelve fugitives are still at large. Several judgements are expected be delivered between this year and mid 2010. Ends

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Ndahimana to be transferred to Arusha soon - ICTR Prosecutor