afrol News, 25 January - Victims of the former Chadian dictator have had their hopes dashed once again after news broke out that Hissène Habré's trial will not take place this year.

The news was disclosed by an EU official sent to Senegal to advise the International Criminal Court (ICC) about the trial.

Bruno Cathala, who is also the Registrar of the ICC, said the case could be delayed until 2009 mainly due to the length of time necessary to complete investigations into the charges against the former leader. The cost and structure of the trial are also of concern to Cathala.

Last year, Senegalese authorities said they expected a three-year delay before Habré would stand trial. Senegalese government expressed its determination to carefully try Habré before a criminal court instead of a speedy special tribunal.

The decision to try Habré in Senegal was agreed by African Union leaders on 2 July 2006, with the Senegalese leader Abdoulaye Wade assuring that his country was "best-placed" to try Habré. But the former dictator's victims took their case to Belgium after an initial attempts to bring charges against him in Senegal had failed.

In September 2005, Belgian judiciary issued an international arrest warrant against Habré, indicting him for committing crimes against humanity, war crimes and torture committed during his tenure.

He was arrested by Senegalese police in November 2005, but his extradition request was denied by a Senegalese court, prompting the Wade government to ask the African Union to recommend a "competent jurisdiction" for the trial.

Human rights groups have been blaming Senegal for not build on the efforts of Belgians to speed up the trial. After the country's initial efforts to prosecute him failed had failed, victims wanted Habré to be tried in Belgium.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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