Rwanda to ‘join’ Murekezi case
The National Public Prosecution Authority of Rwanda has expressed interest to appear before the Lilongwe Principal Resident Magistrate’s Court to defend its extradition request for Vincent Murekezi.
The Rwandan national prosecutor Faustin Nkusi said in an e-mail interview that “we are ready to explain any concern they have, whether concerning our laws in Rwanda, fair trial issues etc”.
He said: “National Public Prosecution Authority of Rwanda is ready to appear in court and defend its extradition request as friends of court ‘amicus curiae’.”
Nkusi said in law, amicus curiae refers to persons not directly engaged in a case, but advise the court on a matter.
Meanwhile, senior assistant chief State advocate Steven Kayuni confirmed being in touch with their Rwandan counterparts on the issue, but was quick to state that his office would have to seek advice from the Attorney General before accepting the request.
“We need to consult the Attorney General before allowing them to join the case as friends of court,” he said.
Defence lawyer Wapona Kita said his concern was the outcome of the court regarding whether Rwanda is a designated country and whether genocide is an extraditable offence.
“So, until that has been decided on, we are not yet into thinking about what obtains in Rwanda,” he said in a WhatsApp text on Saturday.
Police arrested Murekezi on December 8 2016 after a grouping calling itself Concerned Citizens piled pressure on government to have the Rwandan extradited over genocide conviction in his country. n
