The Appeals Chamber of the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda on 15 March 2010, with Judges Patrick Robinson and Mehmet Güney dissenting, affirmed Léonidas Nshogoza’s conviction for contempt of the Tribunal and sentence of 10 months in prison imposed by Trial Chamber III of the Tribunal on 2 July 2009.

The Appeals Chamber composed of Judges Robinson, presiding, Gűney, Fausto Pocar, Liu Daqun and Andrésia Vaz made the ruling following an appeal by Nshogoza filed on 22 July 2009 requesting that the Appeals Chamber reverse his conviction and enter a complete acquittal, or in the alternative, review and reduce his sentence.

The Appeals Chamber, however found that the accused failed to demonstrate any error in the Trial Chamber’s assessment of the aggravating factors surrounding his offence.

Nshogoza, former defence investigator during the trial of Jean de Dieu Kamuhanda, was convicted by the Trial Chamber on one count; for committing contempt of the Tribunal by repeatedly meeting with and disclosing the protected information of Witnesses in knowing violation of, or with reckless indifference to the protective measures ordered by the Kamuhanda Trial Chamber on 7 July 2000.

He was sentenced to 10 months imprisonment. The chamber however gave him credit for time served, having been in custody of the Tribunal since 8 February 2008 and thus ordered his immediate release.

Nshogoza voluntarily surrendered to the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) at its seat in Arusha, Tanzania on 8 February 2008 and was immediately placed under ICTR custody.