Ingabire defence once again seeks to delay trial

The defence team of Victoire Ingabire, the embattled leader of the yet-to-be- registered political party, FDU-Inkingi, want their clients’ trial delayed arguing that they were not yet ready. Ingabire is due in court on Monday. Radio Netherlands Worldwide quoted a member of Ingabire’s defence team, Ian Edwards, saying that they were not ready to begin, though the prosecution has been pushing for an immediate opening of proceedings. “No, the trial won’t be proceeding on Monday and the prosecution knows this!” says Edwards. “We told the court that the defence won’t be ready to start this Monday.” The only reason they give is that none of Ingabire’s lawyers will be present at the trial. But the prosecution is adamant saying that they will be in court Monday morning. “We have all the necessary evidence and are ready to begin the trial. If the defence is not ready, it is up to the court to decide. But they cannot go on holding off the trial indefinitely,” said prosecution spokesperson, Alain Mukurarinda. Last month, the president of the High Court, Johnstone Busingye, accused the defence of deliberately delaying the trial. “We have communicated to her in writing several times. We gave her the charge sheet and all files from prosecution containing evidence. We asked her to file her defence in February but it hasn’t happened to date,” Busingye said. Ingabire was arrested in September last year and is accused of creating a terrorist organization, promoting ethnic divisions, propagating the genocide ideology and trivialising the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. The New Times was unable to talk to Ingabire’s Kigali-based lawyer, Gatera Gashabana as his phone was switched off. Ends