WESTERN PROVINCE

RUBAVU — Judicial officials have resolved to find ways of harmonising the country’s laws with those of other member states of the East African Community (EAC).

This was one of the resolutions reached during a two-day second Justice, Reconciliation, Law and Order (JRLO) sector peer review retreat.

The retreat took place at Serena Kivu Sun Hotel in Gisenyi last week. The officials resolved to set up a commission to find sections of Rwandan laws that require amendments.

"Some of our laws have been different from those used in the neighboring East African countries. Harmonising of our laws to fit those in other member states of EAC was therefore one of the resolutions reached during this review and we hope it will increase cooperation between Rwanda’s judicially and other EAC states,” Justice Minister, Tharcisse Karugarama said. He did not cite particular laws requiring amendment.

According to Minister Karugarama, the retreat, drawing together all justice sectors also aimed to evaluate this year’s performance by tallying the achievements against the failures on last year’s peer review resolutions.

"We came here to evaluate the work done by all the 14 sectors of justice, which include the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Internal Security, the Rwanda Supreme Court, Military prosecution department, National Commission for Unity and reconciliation, public prosecution department, Rwanda national police, Ombudsman’s office, Human Rights Commission, Gacaca, TIG among others.”

He explained that the two-day review came up with resolutions meant to improve Rwandan justice sector to provide proper services to not only Rwandans but foreigners in the country.

The Minister of Internal Security, Sheikh Mussa Hererimana called upon all justice sectors to adopt the use of ICT, saying it was one of the greatest tools to better service delivery.

"We should work as a team through information sharing. This can only be achieved through advanced use of ICT,” he said. 

He said that almost 90% of last year’s resolutions have been implemented adding that he was optimistic this year’s justice sector’s resolutions will be achieved.

Citing mediators, commonly known as Abunzi, the Prosecutor General Martin Ngoga, said the justice sector has registered success in settling disputes in communities.

"Mediators have helped the main stream courts to solve many cases and so effectively. These local judges are effective because almost 70% of the cases forwarded by the discontented parties from these courts to higher courts have come up with the same rulings,” he said.

He called upon responsible bodies to empower the mediators to effectively execute their duties. He explained that this was a good programme of empowering residents in conflict resolution in their respective communities.

He disclosed that the mediators would soon get more training on the country’s laws to increase their capacity. The training would be supported by the Ombudsman’s office.

During the retreat, participants also discussed the problem of innocent children who are currently living in prisons due to the crimes committed by their mothers.

"There are many innocent children living with their convicted mothers in jails, we have resolved to ask the line ministry to consider this issue by helping children under 3 years, as well as getting foster families for those above 3 years of age,” Ngoga said.

He explained that by law, children less than three years are entitled to mother’s care which is the reason such children are not separated from their convicted mothers.

According to Ngoga, there are cases where children above 3 years had failed to get families to receive them when they leave prisons.

Other resolutions reached during the retreat include; putting the National Commission for Unity and Reconciliation under the justice sector, and encouraging more cooperation between the justice sectors with various human rights NGOs, among other things.

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