Arusha, April 15th, 2005 (FH) - A prosecution witness in the trial of four former Rwandan cabinet ministers before the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda on Friday denied that he was detained for two years in Rwanda so that he could implicate two of the suspects in the trial.

Fidčle Uwizeye, 57, the former Prefect of Gitarama (Central Rwanda) was accused by one of the defence counsel, Michelyne St-Laurent of Canada, of making accusations against two former ministers while in detention.

But the witness insisted that he only made statements against Casimir Bizimungu, former minister for Health and Jerome Bicamumpaka, former minister of Foreign Affairs because ICTR investigators had sought him out during his detention by the Republican Guard in Kigali.

“It is not true that I was put in detention so that I could be interrogated about those people accused of genocide,” said Uwizeye, adding, “it is not fair to say that I made statements against them while I was in detention.”

Uwizeye was detained from May 1998 to January 2000 on accusations that he was an “infiltrator” (an accomplice of Hutu rebels).

St-Laurent , who is Bizimungu’s lead counsel, was cross-examining Uwizeye for the second day. She will continue cross-examining the witness, who was been testifying since April 6th on Monday.

Bizimungu and Bicamumpaka are jointly accused with former minister of Commerce Justin Mugenzi, and former minister of Public Service Prosper Mugiraneza. They have each denied six charges of genocide and crimes against humanity.

The trial, which commenced on November 3rd 2003, is before Trial Chamber Two composed of Judge Khalida Rachid Khan of Pakistan, presiding, Judge Lee Muthoga (Kenya) and Judge Emile Francis Short (Ghana)

PJ/AT/GF/FH (GVII’’’0415e)