Justice Pierre Boutet, on behalf of the Oversight Committee, the Judges, principals and staff of the Residual Special Court, has expressed sadness over of the death of Justice Elizabeth Ibanda-Nahamya. She passed away yesterday at the HMC Antoniushove Hospital in The Hague.
“It is with profound sadness that I learned of the death of Justice Ibanda-Nahamya,” Justice Boutet said. He recalled her as a “humane and dedicated judge,” and as a jurist who, as Principal Defender at the Special Court, had ensured that the rights of the accused were upheld.
Registrar Binta Mansaray called Justice Ibanda-Nahaya a “thoughtful and fair judge” who made significant contributions to the development of international justice.
Justice Ibamnda-Nahamya was appointed as a Judge of the Residual Special Court in 2013 by the SecretaryGeneral of the United Nations. She served as vice president of the RSCSL from 2016 to 2018. While continuing to serve on the RSCSL’s Roster of Judges, she was also appointed in 2018 by the UN Secretary-General as a Judge of the United Nations International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT).
Justice Ibamda-Nahamya served as Principal Defender of the Special Court in 2008, and as Deputy Principal Defender for four years prior. Prior to joining the Special Court, she worked for eight years as a Legal Officer with the Chambers Division of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR).
