RWANDA TRIBUNAL SUSPENDS ANOTHER DEFENSE INVESTIGATOR

RWANDA TRIBUNAL SUSPENDS ANOTHER DEFENSE INVESTIGATOR

By Sukhdev Chhatbar

ARUSHA 12 April 2002 (Internews) The International Criminal Tribunal (ICTR)
last week suspended Pierre Karangwa, a defense investigator, for his alleged
involvement in the 1994 genocide in Rwanda.

Karangwa is investigator in the defense team of Augustin Ndindiliyimana, a
former chief of staff of para-military police. Ndindiliyimana is in the
custody of the ICTR, awaiting trial for genocide

According to an ICTR source who requested anonymity, Ndindiliyimana's lead
counsel, Christopher Black of Canada, was informed of the suspension. The
Association of Defense Lawyers at the ICTR announced at a press conference
on Wednesday that they would denounce any further suspension or sanctions
taken by the tribunal against defense investigators without the principal
counsel being informed.

"Karangwa's suspension is to clear him of any suspicion of his involvement
in the 1994 genocide," the source said. Explaining Karangwa's suspension,
the source said: "We are conducting our own checks, and we thought we need
some more details on Karangwa. This is our own initiative in line with the
Registrar's policy to protect the integrity of the tribunal's judicial
process and prevent abuses of the legal system."

However, the sources stressed that if Karangwa is not implicated in the 1994
events, "he will be immediately reinstated."

Comments from Black on Karangwa's suspension are currently unavailable as he
is reported to be out of Tanzania and his exact whereabouts are unknown.

On 16 July 2001, Dieng announced the dismissal of three defense
investigators and the suspension of another one, for their alleged
involvement in the April-July 1994 genocide.

However, a few months later, Dieng renewed a contract for Aloys
Ngendahimana, investigator in the defense team of Ferdinand Nahimana, a
former Director of the Radio Television Libre des Mille Collines (RTLM),
after it was established that he was not implicated in the genocide.

The contracts for Augustin Basebya and Augustin Karera were not renewed.
Basebya was an investigator in the defense team of Juvenal Kajelijeli, a
former mayor of Mukingo commune, Ruhengeri Province. Karera served in the
defense team of Jean De Dieu Kamuhanda, a former minister of higher
education.

Thaddee Kwitonda, investigator in the team of Arsene Ntahobali, a former
militia leader in Butare Province, was suspended two months before his
contract expired.

The defense investigators are hired by defense lawyers and paid by the
tribunal. Two investigators were last year charged with genocide and crimes
against humanity.

In May 2001, defense investigator Simeon Nshamihigo was arrested in Arusha,
at the request of Carla Del Ponte, ICTR Chief Prosecutor. He is at the
United Nations Detention Facility, and has pleaded not guilty to genocide
charges.

In December 2001, defense investigator Joseph Nzabirinda was arrested in
Brussels, Belgium. He appeared before the tribunal last week and pleaded not
guilty to genocide charges. Nshamihigo was deputy prosecutor in Cyangugu
Province during the genocide while Nzabirinda was a youth movement organizer
in Butare Province.

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