Arusha, September 8th, 2004 (FH) - The trial of a former municipal councillor in the western Rwanda town of Kibuye, entered its final phase on Wednesday at the International Criminal Tribunal of Rwanda (ICTR).

All now that remains is for the lawyers to file the merits of their cases and argue their closing arguments.

Mika Muhimana, councillor of Gishyita has been on trial since March 29, 2004. He is accused of organising and leading attacks against Tutsis in his region that claimed tens of thousands of lives.

The trial was marked by the spectacular speed by which the defence argued its case. It called 33 witnesses within 14 trial days, an unmatched record since the tribunal began hearing the genocide trials in January 1997.

The nature of the crimes allegedly committed by the accused also stood out. Of the four charges brought against Muhimana (Genocide, Complicity in genocide, Crimes against humanity (rape and murder), the element of sexual assault was most highlighted.

Many witnesses came forward to claim that they had been victims of rape at the hands of the former councillor. Others described in detail the gruesome manner in which Muhimana allegedly committed the crimes against Tutsi girls. In most cases, the victims were sexually mutilated.

The prosecutor had also claimed that Mika Muhimana had killed a prominent Tutsi businessman, Assiel Kabanda, before cutting off his head and genitals and displaying them in a public place.

The defence in reply brought witnesses, many of them prisoners in Rwanda, who claimed to have been the authors of the crimes allegedly laid at Muhimana’s door. All of them denied that Muhimana had raped Tutsi women and girls.

Muhimana’s second wife, a Tutsi, also testified and proclaimed her love for her husband whom she said was a loving and caring man who had saved her life before they became married. Mika Muhimana’s first wife was also a Tutsi.

The deadline for filing the closing briefs by both the defence and the prosecution was set at October 25 this year and the oral arguments will take place between December 7 and 9.

The prosecution is led by Charles Adeogun-Phillips, assisted by Wallace Kapaya and Renifa Madenga while the defence is made up of James Nyabirungu Mwene Songa and Richard Kazadi Kabimba, both from the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Mika Muhimana was arrested in Tanzania on November 8, 1999 and transferred to the ICTR detention facilities in Arusha the same day.

The trial was conducted in Trial Chamber Three of the ICTR composed of judges Khalida Rashid Khan of Pakistan (presiding), Lee Gaciuga Muthoga of Kenya and Emile Francis Short from Ghana.

KN/JA/GF/FH (MH’’0908e)