Barayagwiza review application “politically-motivated”

Defence counsel for Barayagwiza, Justry Nyaberi, said on Wednesday that del Ponte’s application for a review of the decision was both “politically motivated” and “the last kick of a dying horse”, the Hirondelle news agency reported. Nyaberi said del Ponte was attempting “to reopen the matter without any legal basis” as a political expedient to please the Rwandan government.

Nyaberi also said Rwanda’s offer to waive the death penalty if Barayagwiza was sent for trial in Rwanda was an attempt to “hoodwink the defence”. He claimed that once Barayagwiza was in Rwanda, the authorities would insist on having to apply the law and he “would never get a fair trial”, Hirondelle reported.