Simon Bikindi was arrested in Leiden, Netherlands, on 12 July 2001 and transferred to the UN penitentiary quarter of the ICTR in Arusha on 27 March 2002.
The indictment against him contains six counts:
- conspiracy to commit genocide (article 2 paragraph 3 (b) of the ICTR-Statute),
- genocide (article 2 paragraph 3 (a) of the ICTR-Statute), or alternatively
- complicity in genocide (article 2 paragraph 3 (e) of the ICTR-Statute)
- direct and public incitement to commit genocide (article 2 paragraph 3 (c) ICTR-Statute),
- crime against humanity: murder (article 3 (a) of the ICTR-Statute)
- crime against humanity: persecutions (article 3 (h) of the ICTR-Statute)
On 4 April 2002 he appeared before the ICTR and pleaded not guilty on all counts.
His trial began on 2 October 2006. The trial took 61 days during which the Prosecution presented 20 witnesses and the Defence 37 witnesses.
In its closing arguments on 26 May 2008, the Prosecution prayed for Bikindi's conviction and life in prison. It stated that Bikindi should be convicted as a result of his personal participation in planning, instigation, acts of genocide and murder of Tutsi civilians.
The Defence requested for Bikindi’s acquittal arguing that there were several contradictions in testimonies for the prosecution.
Trial Watch would like to remind its users that any person charged by national or international authorities is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
