Appeals Court adds 10 years to ex-mayor 's prison term

The Appeals Court of the UN International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda dismissed on Friday an appeal by a former Rwandan mayor, Laurent Semanza, and instead increased his sentence from 25 years to 35 years in prison.

Dismissing Semanza's appeal as baseless, the presiding judge, Theodor Meron, said, "The Appeals Chamber, upon careful consideration of each of the appellant's arguments, concludes that each contention is without merit. It, therefore, dismisses the appeal".

Semanza, a former mayor of Bicumbi Commune, in Kigali Rural Province, had filed an appeal before the Appeals Court, challenging his sentence on 22 grounds, after he was sentenced to 25 years in prison in May 2003 for his involvement in the 1994 genocide in Rwanda.

"This is an appropriate sentence," Hassan Jallow, the tribunal's prosecutor, told reporters after Meron read the ruling for 45 minutes before a packed gallery.

In his appeal, Semanza had expressed fear of bias by the trial chamber, shortcomings in the indictment as well as errors with respect to his alibi, among other objections.

However, Meron ruled that the trial chamber granted Semanza credit of nine years he had already spent in detention, and a further six-month reduction for a violation of his pre-trial rights.

Meron said Semanza would continue to enjoy the nine-year credit and the six-month reduction in his sentence.

Semanza, who was arrested in March 1996 in Cameroon, was the president of Greater Kigali branch of a pro-Hutu political party, the MRND, and was once a member of the party's Central Committee during the genocide.

"This sentencing will not serve to bring reconciliation in Rwanda," Charles Taku, Semanza's lawyer, said after the ruling.

It could not be immediately established in which country Semanza would serve his sentence. Six countries - Benin, Swaziland, Italy, France, Mali and Sweden - have signed agreements with the tribunal to allow the convicts serve their sentences in their prisons.

Already, six convicts, including former Prime Minister Jean Kambanda, are serving their sentence in Mali.

The tribunal has rendered 25 judgements; 22 convictions and three acquittals, since its establishment by the UN Security Council in 1994.