The appeals chamber of the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) has begun hearing an appeal by the prosecution to overturn a lower court's decision to acquit a former Rwandan minister.

The lower court in February 2004 acquitted Andre Ntagerura, former Rwandan transport minister, of genocide charges.

The prosecution claimed that the acquittal was erroneous as the ex-minister had fully participated in the 1994 genocide, according to reports reaching here on Tuesday from Arusha where the UN court seats.

The prosecution requested the appeals court to order a re-trial of Ntagerura and Emmanuel Bagambiki, former governor of the Cyangugu province in west Rwanda, who was also acquitted in the same trial.

"We want your honorable court to quash the lower court's decision and order a re-trial of the two," James Steward, senior attorney for the prosecution, told the UN court.

The duo had been charged with genocide, crimes against humanity and serious violations of the Geneva Conventions in connection with the massacres committed in Cyangugu.

Source: Xinhua