DAR ES SALAAM, Oct. 5 (Xinhuanet) -- Rwanda's former gendarmerie chief is accused of participating in the 1994 massacre of Tutsis with three other ex-army officers in the Kansi Parish of southern Rwanda.

    The Tanzania-based International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) is undertaking the Militarytrial for the former chief of gendarmerie, General Augustin Ndindiliyimana, and three gendarme officers implicated in the massacre, local newspaper Daily News reported on Tuesday.

    A prosecution witness code-named GFS testified before the UN court that on April 25, 1994, she witnessed General Ndindiliyimanawith armed gendarmes left his house for the Kansi Parish and then she heard gunshots and grenade blasts in that direction.

    She testified that a survivor from the Kansi Parish came to herhome, telling her that Tutsis were killed there and she herself also witnessed the massacre in a church while running to a neighboring community.

    The witness, who is the second prosecution witness summoned in this trial, explained to the court that General Ndindiliyimana washer neighbor whom she knows since 1983 and thus she had the chanceto witness the gendarmes in the general's house distributing to young people weapons to kill Tutsis she personally knew.

    The defense counsel for Ndindiliyimana, who was not present at the hearing, objected that the witness should not bear testimony because she had provided hearsay statements that were not admissible as evidence.

    The prosecutor retorted that hearsay had been admitted in previous trials at this tribunal. The trial of the four military officers charged with genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes started on September 20, but they have pleaded not guilty.

    In 1994, Hutu extremists in Rwanda slaughtered about 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus in just 100 days.

    The UN court has been given a 2008 deadline for hearing all thecases related to the massacre. Up to now, the court has heard cases concerning the suspected ringleaders of the massacre and hassentenced several to life imprisonment.

    Among the tried and sentenced are former Rwandan prime minister,information minister and education minister. Seventeen others havealso been convicted. Enditem