Prosecutor denies witness statements against Rwandan man acquired by torture

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The prosecution in the case of a Rwandan man who has been indicted for involvement in the Rwandan genocide in 1994 denies that the charges against the man are based on statements made by witnesses who were tortured.
      State Prosecutor Raija Toiviainen insists that there is clear probable cause for prosecution in the case.
      The 58-year-old man was primarily charged with mass killings, and secondarily with 15 murders. Defence lawyer Ville Hoikkala says that the charges were filed prematurely, before all witnesses were heard.
      “Witnesses met by the defence in different parts of Africa have seen that witnesses named by the prosecution have been tortured, and pressured to make certain types of statements by promising freedom”, Hoikkala says.
      According to Hoikkala, some of the tortured witnesses are still in prison in Rwanda.
     
A preparatory session on the matter may be held in Porvoo District Court already in June.
      “”We would like to be able to hold a preparatory session already before the summer holidays. The actual main trial does not depend exclusively on the wishes of the Finns. We need to resort to requests for assistance from Rwanda”, says judge Petra Spring-Reiman.
      The three main judges and Spring-Reiman, who serves as the secretary on the panel, expect a lengthy trial.
      “It could last half a year.”
     
The primary charges facing the defendant are for “mass destruction” - effectively genocide - during the events in Rwanda in April 1994. The crime refers to the destruction of members of a population group based on race, ethnic background, or religion. A mere attempt is also punishable.
      If the evidence is not seen to warrant a conviction for genocide, the prosecutor feels that the Rwanda man should at least be convicted for 15 murders.
     
Hearing of witnesses of both the prosecution and defence will require special arrangements. The preliminary investigation was made more difficult by the fact that the witnesses are scattered around Africa.
      The options are to bring all of the witnesses to Finland, to hear the witness statements in a foreign court, to question witnesses over a video link, or to use a combination of the options.
      It has been suggested that some witnesses might apply for asylum in Finland if they were brought into the country to testify.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  New evidence in case of Rwandan suspected of genocide (30.3.2009)
  Finland will not extradite suspected war criminal to Rwanda (20.2.2009)
  Man living in Porvoo indicted for involvement in Rwanda genocide (1.6.2009)

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