The Ministry of Justice has highlighted the use of forensic evidence in court as a top priority this year. 

Forensic evidence encompasses DNA matching, fingerprint identification, and hair or fiber evidence.

At his end of year news briefing on Tuesday, Justice minister Johnston Busingye, said the justice sector will emphasise the use of forensic evidence to support other forms of evidence during trials.

The National Public Prosecution Authority signed a cooperation agreement with Germany’s Hamburg Institute of Legal in 2010 regarding DNA analysis and the agreement was extended to toxicology analysis in 2012.

Besides forensic evidence, Busingye said other areas of focus in 2015 will include the review of existing laws to ensure prevention of gender-based violence, economic crimes, terrorism, human trafficking, and drugs.

Among other activities, the ministry will also partner in the fight against genocide ideology, help digitise the archives of Gacaca courts, keep pleading to the United Nations so that Rwanda can host archives of the ICTR court, and work hard to arrest genocide fugitives that are still holed up in different parts of the world.

Busingye also said that last month, the ministry started the project of Integrated Electronic Case Management System (IECMS) that is expected to be complete within eight months. IECMS will help in timely dissemination of information about justice services.

The minister highlighted the ministry’s achievements in 2014, noting that the ministry achieved at a high level on the plans of 2014.

He cited reforms like the introduction of the post of Solicitor General to assist the Attorney General, which he said has helped improve efficiency in the justice sector.

A legal officer was also deployed to each district unlike before when there was only one at the provincial level.

Among other achievements in 2014, the minister said: "We issued the policy governing legal aid and empowered bailiffs, notaries and advocates. We returned back to the government Rwf27.5 million recovered from government officials charged with economic crimes.”

For capacity building, the ministry offered training to legal officers about construction and privatisation contracts.

Toward the end of last year, Busingye who also doubles as the Attorney General and the Permanent Secretary and Solicitor General, Isabelle Kalihangabo, were also admitted to the Rwanda Bar Association.

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