Judge Iain Bonomy took the decision to transfer Félicien Kabuga to the Residual Mechanism Branch of the International Criminal Tribunals in The Hague for a detailed medical assessment.
Félicien Kabuga could be tried in The Hague, the Netherlands instead of Arusha, Tanzania. Judge Iain Bonomy decided on Wednesday 21 October to transfer him to The Hague for a medical assessment.
“The key issues at this stage are the risks associated with intercontinental travel to Arusha and the inability of the transplant clinic to accurately assess Kabuga’s current state of health,” pronouncing judgment said.
According to the same document, the journey from France to Tanzania would take more than 11 hours of flight time and three stopovers. The direct transfer to The Hague would involve a flight hour or several hours of driving. The Dutch city option would be more direct and simpler.
On the second issue, the judge recommended the transfer from Kabuga to The Hague so that the Registry and medical staff could seek the necessary information to assess whether he could travel to Arusha and stay there.
Kabuga’s defence had requested his transfer to The Hague instead of the City of Arusha because of his allegedly fragile health and his age of over 80 years. The presence of the covid-19 pandemic in Tanzania was also an argument put forward.
The Ibuka Association of Survivors of the 1994 Tutsi Genocide wanted this alleged genocide to be transferred to Rwanda.
Gérard Rugambwa
