The trial of Rwandan genocide suspect Ladislas Ntaganzwa will begin in March 2017 after the High Court in Kigali agreed to defer the case at the request of the accused.

Mr Ntaganzwa, a former mayor of Nyakizu – now Southern Province, was arraigned before the court's special chamber responsible for trying international and cross-border crimes on Tuesday, when he pleaded for more time to prepare for the case.

“The dossier is too voluminous and complex. I want at least three months to read it and prepare my defence” Mr Ntaganzwa said.

He was extradited to Rwanda in March this year from DR Congo where he was arrested. He is one of the genocide suspects whose cases were transferred to Kigali by the Arusha-based International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR).

READ: DR Congo agrees to extradite genocide suspect to Rwanda

And like other suspects whose cases were transferred by ICTR, the start of Mr Ntaganzwa’s trial is reminiscent of those of Bernard Munyagishari and Jean Uwinkindi which took several months to begin because the accused said they were not prepared.

READ: Delays, legal intricacies slow down genocide cases

Mr Ntaganzwa, one of the few with access to a computer in a Rwandan prison cell, also emphasised his lack of computer literacy as an obstacle to the preparation of his defence.

His lawyer, Laurent Bugabo, further insisted that the defence team would also need time to meet and interview witnesses.

“Entering the merits of the case without giving us enough preparation time will be unfair given that the prosecution took nine months to conclude their investigations and compile the dossier,” Mr Bugabo said.

The prosecution, while it did not oppose the request to delay the trial, told the court that three months would be too long.

“We believe that two months would be enough for the accused and his lawyers to read the dossier and prepare their defence” said Faustin Nkusi.

The High Court, however, set the start of the trial on March 6, 2017, giving the defence a two-and-a half-month period to prepare but with a warning not to drag the case any longer.

According to court documents, Mr Ntaganzwa was until his arrest a medical assistant in FDLR - FOCA, an armed Rwandan rebel group operating in eastern DRC. He faces five counts of charges namely: genocide, direct and public incitement to commit genocide, and crimes against humanity including murder, extermination, and mass rape.

Since his first appearance in court in April, Mr Ntaganzwa refused to enter a plea citing lack of proper knowledge of the case.

READ: Top Rwanda genocide suspect Ladislas Ntaganzwa trial starts

He has been in remand since his extradition on a court order that has been renewed five times.

Mr Ntaganzwa, a former mayor of Nyakizu, was one of nine fugitives wanted by the United Nations for his role in the 1994 genocide in which thousands of people in his locality were massacred as well as for organising mass rapes.

His case before the ICTR was one of six transferred to Rwanda when the tribunal closed.

The eight other high-profile fugitives who remain at large include Felicien Kabuga, Augustin Bizimana, Protais Mpiranya, Fulgence Kayishema, Pheneas Munyarugarama, Aloys Ndimbati, Ryandikayo, and Charles Sikubwabo.

ICTR however did not transfer cases of the three genocide suspects considered to bare the greatest responsibility – Kabuga, Bizimana and Mpiranya.