Detention of four persons arrested in Nairobi, Kenya, exactly a month ago, was today extended for another 30 days, to give time to the Prosecution to finalize its investigations.

Judge Laïty Kama, the President of the Tribunal, granted the extension following the Prosecutor's request that the detention of the four persons be extended because of the complexity of the investigations involved, and that there was more evidence being gathered from the Rwandan Government archives, recently made available to the Tribunal's investigators.

The four persons currently detained in the Tribunal's facility here are Georges Ruggiu, a Belgian journalist who worked with Radio Television Libre des Mille Collines; Aloys Ntabakuze, a former Commander of the Para-commando battalion of the Rwandan armed forces; Sylvain Nsabimana, a former prefect of Butare; and Gratien Kabiligi, a former Colonel in the General Staff of the Rwandan army until July 1994.

Granting the requests, Judge Kama reminded the Prosecution to ensure that it presents the indictments of the accused as soon as possible because the rules provide that the period of detention shall not exceed 90 days, at the end of which, in the event the indictments are not confirmed, the suspects shall be released.

Earlier, in the case of another suspect, Hassan Ngeze, a former Editor in Chief of a monthly newspaper, Kangura, the Defence Counsel, Mr. Kamau Ngata prayed to the court to provisionally release his client, arguing that the prosecution's motion held no water as his client posed no threat to investigations going on. Judge Kama ruled that decision on the matter will be made later in the week.

Late last week the court granted the Prosecution' s request to extend the detention of Jean Kambanda, the former Prime Minister for Rwanda, for another 30 days to enable it to complete its investigations.

Rule 40 bis (F), of the Tribunal's Rules of Procedure and Evidence stipulates that at the end of the 30-day detention period, a Judge may decide, at the Prosecutor's request and subsequent to an inter-partes hearing, to extend the detention for a further period not exceeding 30 days.