Last week, the Supreme Court launched an online portal through which members of the public can submit complaints in case they are not satisfied by court/tribunal verdicts and suspect underhand methods. While confidence in the country’s judiciary has steadily grown over the years as the sector increasingly undertakes new strategies to promote transparency and integrity in the process to dispense justice there is need to stay engaged and create further avenues to report and tackle graft cases. According to authorities, the new online platform will allow for all concerned authorities – including courts, National Public Prosecution Authority, the Office of Ombudsman, and the Rwanda Bar Association – to access the public petitions and do necessary follow-ups in a timely manner. It will also be easier for all the parties concerned to coordinate their efforts and even convene meetings whenever necessary with view to finding a solution. The internet and short messaging service based complaint system, according to the Chief Justice, seeks to increase public engagement in the judicial sector to enhance access to justice, accountability, and court-user satisfaction. The public can also use the platform to report any other poor form of service delivery– besides suspected corruption tendencies – as this would help authorities to plug the holes in the judicial system. This will help ensure that the courts do their job accordingly – which is dispensing justice – which would not only serve as deterrence but would also help create a safer and law-abiding society.
