THE tribunal established by the UN to prosecute the leaders of the 1994 Rwandan genocide has been plunged into renewed controversy by claims that up to a dozen Rwandans accused of genocide crimes were on its payroll. The allegations were made to the UN General Assembly by Joseph Nsengimana, Rwanda's envoy. | Everard O'Donnell, the tribunal's spokesman and registrar, dismissed Rwanda's claim as politically motivated. While he acknowledged up to a dozen genocide suspects had been on the payroll, he said they had never been employed as tribunal staff, but had worked on defence teams for various accused. |
Mr Nsengimana said his Government last month told the Security Council that 14 well-known "genocide suspects" were employed by the tribunal. Ten had since resigned and he said the tribunal must "expeditiously resolve that very serious issue, including by making public the report of the independent investigation and following thatup with arrests and prosecutions". Everard O'Donnell, the tribunal's spokesman and registrar, dismissed Rwanda's claim as politically motivated. While he acknowledged up to a dozen genocide suspects had been on the payroll, he said they had never been employed as tribunal staff, but had worked on defence teams for various accused.