Defence accuses witness of lying in war crimes trial

A man who survived the 1994 Rwanda genocide was accused of lying Wednesday during the war crimes trial of Dsir Munyaneza.

The witness, who is not being named, repeatedly testified in the Montral courtroomthathe saw Munyaneza attend a speech 13 years ago this month at a stadium in the Rwandan town of Butare.

During the speech, the country's interim president reportedly urged Hutus to kill Tutsis. The witness told the court he saw Munyanezadrive to the stadium.

But defence lawyer Laurence Cohen said there was no speech at the stadium in April 1994.

The witness said he didn't agree, stating again that the interim president made the speech and thatMunyaneza was in attendance.

He said Cohen could agree with that or not, but that's what happened.

"I suggest your testimony with regard to Dsir Munyaneza is a lie," Cohen said. "Do you agree?"

If you can prove it to me, the witness responded.

Munyaneza is the first person to be charged under Canada's new Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Act, which became law in 2000. He is accused of murder, rape and pillaging and faces a life sentence if convicted.

An estimated 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus were slaughtered by Hutu extremists in the central African country in 1994,in one of the century's worst massacres.