(EMAILWIRE.COM, April 29, 2008 ) The Hague - Pre-Trial Chamber I has decided to postpone the commencement date of the confirmation hearing in the case The Prosecutor v. Germain Katanga and Mathieu Ngudjolo Chui to 27 June 2008, previously scheduled to commence on 21 May.

The judges considered the request of the Defence for Mathieu Ngudjolo Chui to postpone the date of this hearing, and decided to allow the parties sufficient time to properly prepare. There are also various issues pending before the Appeals Chamber that need to be ruled on before the start of the confirmation hearing.


The confirmation hearing is one stage of the criminal procedure before the Court which aims at ensuring that no case goes to trial unless there is sufficient evidence to establish substantial grounds to believe that the person committed the crime with which he or she has been charged.

Germain Katanga and Mathieu Ngudjolo Chui are both being prosecuted for their alleged co-responsibility for the crimes allegedly committed during and in the aftermath of the joint attack on the village of Bogoro, Ituri, by the Patriotic Resistance Force in Ituri (FRPI) and the National Integrationist Front (FNI), on 24 February 2003.


25.04.2008 - Decision on the Defence Request for Postponement of the Confirmation Hearing
ICC-01/04-01/07-446 - Original: English


For further information, please contact Ms Hala El Amine, Associate Legal Outreach Officer, at +31 (0)70 515-9235 or at Hala.ElAmine@icc-cpi.int

###

This press release was issued through GroupWeb EmailWire.Com. For more information on unlimited press release distribution for $499/year, go to http://www.emailwire.com

Contact Information:
The International Criminal Court (ICC)
Ms Hala El Amine
Tel: +31 (0)70 515-9235
Email us