"The Chamber orders the trial to commence at the Hague branch with opening statements on the 29th of September... and evidence to start on the 5th of October," MICT judge Iain Bonomy said.

Kabuga is charged with seven counts including five related to genocide; genocide, complicity in genocide, director and public incitement to commit genocide, attempt to commit genocide and conspiracy to commit genocide.

Other charges are persecution and extermination, both as crimes against humanity.

Arrested on 16th May 2020 in France, Kabuga was transferred to a UN tribunal in The Hague for stand trial. He is known as the Chief Financier of Genocide against Tutsi.

He was a wealthy businessman and core member of the Akazu (a small powerful circle of ideologues that masterminded the Genocide). He was also the founding president of the board of shareholders of hate radio RTLM, which incited killings.

Kabuga was originally scheduled to appear in court in Arusha, where the other arm of the MICT resides, but judges had ruled he would remain in The Hague "until otherwise decided."

According to AFP, Bonomy said on Thursday that the defendant would appear "three times a week for two hours at a time."

Kabuga is being held at the tribunal’s detention unit a few kilometres (miles) away.

Félicien Kabuga's trial is set for September 2022.