Defence teams to be scrutinised

The new registrar of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), Adama Dieng, has outlined his plans for the improvement of the UN court, Internews reported. In a four-page memorandum to staff, he emphasised the need for “effectiveness and efficiency, teamwork and the deployment of the right human resources to the right tasks”.

Dieng was quoted as saying that he was looking closely into the recruitment of defence teams, following the arrest of a defence team investigator on 19 May. “I have instructed the lawyers and detention facilities’ section to take all the necessary measures to eliminate abuses of the legal aid system tribunal, including more rigorous checks on the appointment of investigators by defence counsel,” he said.

Dieng was quoted as saying that extra resources were needed to ensure effective enforcement of the tribunal’s sentences. Benin, Swaziland and Mali have agreed to take any convicts and would need funds to upgrade their facilities, Dieng said. The UN General Assembly had already approved US $250,000 for the purpose, he added. Dieng, of Senegal, took office about two and a half months ago when the contract of Agwu Okali expired.