The Appeals Chamber of the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda sat today for the second of a three day session. Yesterday the chamber heard the appeal of Juv é nal Kajelijeli against his conviction for genocide and other crimes, and reserved judgement. Three other appeal cases are the subject of status conferences being held today and tomorrow.
The Chamber held status conferences on 8 March 2005 in the cases of Emmanuel Ndindabahizi, former Minister of Finance who, on 15 July 2004, was sentenced by Trial Chamber I to imprisonment for remainder of his life, and Sylvestre Gacumbitsi, former Bourgmestre of Rurumo who, on 17 June 2004, was sentenced by Trial Chamber III to 30 years imprisonment.
In yesterday’s session, the Appeals Chamber dismissed a Defence motion for the admission of additional evidence in the case of Juvénal Kajelijeli, former Bourgmestre of Mukingo who, on 1 December 2003, was sentenced to imprisonment for the remainder of his life by Trial Chamber II of the Tribunal.
In its ruling, the Appeals Chamber concurred with the Prosecution that the motion was filed late and that the appellant had not shown good cause for the late filling. It added that the proposed additional evidence was available at trial and is therefore inadmissible on that ground. The Chamber found also that the appellant failed to demonstrate that the evidence available to him at trial was nevertheless admissible on appeal because it would have affected the verdict.
On Wednesday 9 March 2005, the Appeals Chamber will hold another status conference in the case of Nahimana et al. formerly referred to as the ‘Media Case’ involving Ferdinand Nahimana, former director of RTLM radio, sentenced to imprisonment for the remainder of his life, Jean Bosco Barayagwiza, former Director of Political Affairs in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, sentenced to 35 years imprisonment, and Hassan Ngeze, former editor of Kangura newspaper, sentenced to imprisonment for the remainder of his life. The sentences were delivered by Trial Chamber I on 3 December 2003.
The Appeals Chamber is composed of judges Fausto Pocar ( Italy), presiding, Mohamed Shahabuddeen ( Guyana), Florence Mumba ( Zambia), Wolfgang Schomburg ( Germany), and Inés Weinberg de Roca ( Argentina).