Govt to fast-track enforcement of Gacaca rulings

Sixty bailiffs were sworn in, yesterday, with the enforcement of Gacaca court rulings that instructed compensation to Genocide survivors for property looted or destroyed during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi as one of their maiden tasks. The new bailiffs will be dispatched to all corners of the country. According to the Ministry of Justice, increasing the number of bailiffs will speed up the process, making sure convicts who are in position to pay back do so without further delay. A backlog of more than 10,000 rulings regarding property either looted or destroyed during the Genocide remain redundant, three years after the semi-traditional courts wound up. The Minister for Justice, Johnston Busingye, said his office had already compiled the profiles of the targeted convicts and assessed their capacity to pay back. “We have recently registered all names of those who are yet to pay and we have their addresses; the next step is to have the bailiffs go for them,” said Busingye. The minister added that there are measures in place to have the cases executed expeditiously.The property owed to survivors by the convicts is estimated at more than Rwf3 billion. According to an assessment by the Ministry of Justice, at least half of the convicts can afford to pay back. And, for those without the capacity, there are alternatives available. “We are looking at public works that the poor can do and their remuneration channeled to the survivors they owe,” Busingye said. The minister urged the bailiffs to work closely with court officials and law enforcement organs in their areas of jurisdiction. He stressed that failure to complete their tasks would render the chain of justice inept. The Minister also vowed to crack down on corruption and embezzlement. And, for the senior government officials – commonly referred to as “big fish” – who have got away with corruption, their days are numbered. “We are intensifying the fight through forensic investigations, better prosecutions, aggressive recovery and enforcement,” Busingye said. “Our renewed efforts will enable us to do deep sea fishing.” editorial@newtimes.co.rw

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Govt to fast-track enforcement of Gacaca rulings