Arusha, August 18th, 2004(FH) - Trial Chamber One of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda on Wednesday postponed the trial of former senior Rwandan army officer, Colonel Aloys Simba to August 30th due due to the absence of his lead defence counsel, who is unwell.

Simba’s trial was set to open on Monday 16th but could not proceed since the lead counsel Sadikou Alao (Benin) was absent.

The accused, through his co-counsel Beth Lyons of USA, asked for a one month delay. Lyons informed the court that Alao would only be available at the Tribunal after a one month period.

The trial had previously been scheduled to commence on May 13th , 2004 but was suspended immediately following complaints by the defence that the prosecutor had broken the Tribunal’s rules by failing to provide some documents to the accused.

Simba, 62, is charged with five counts of genocide and crimes against humanity for the massacres of Tutsis in two provinces in southern Rwanda: Gikongoro (his native province) and Butare. He has denied the charges. He was arrested in Senegal on November 27, 2001 and transferred to Arusha on March 11 2002. He made his first initial appearance on March 18, 2002. On March 17th this year, he made the second initial appearance and pleaded not guilty again.

Simba’s trial is before Trial Chamber One of the ICTR composed of Judge Erik Mose (Norway) presiding, Judge Sergei Alekseevich Egorov (Russia) and Judge Charles Michael Dennis Byron (St Kitts and Nevis).

PJ/JA/GF/FH (SI’’0818e)