NORTHERN PROVINCE MUSANZE — Judges attending a three-day retreat last week resolved to step up efforts in tackling money laundering crimes in the country, to facilitate economic transformation. Earlier, while opening the retreat, the Supreme Court president Aloysie Cyanzaire had said that the vice undermines economic transformation. In a joint resolution at the end of the retreat, at Fatima Guest House, participants laid down broad strategies that would demonstrate their resolve to curb the vice; including expeditious prosecution of individuals suspected of those crimes. Timely submission of comprehensive dossiers by Lawyers and prosecutors would be required and efforts to recover bad debts would be stepped up, according to their resolutions. The judges also resolved to let mediators-Abunzi- handle more cases at the grassroots to avoid a backlog of cases in courts. Closing the retreat, the Vice President of the Supreme Court, Prof. Sam Rugege implored the group to promote good governance by entrenching the culture of rule of law. Rugege challenged the judges to ensure safety of public property, fight corruption and avoid delaying justice, stressing that it was their mandate to contribute to economic development. He asked the judges to practice ‘law reporting’ by making corruption verdicts public, for reference and for researchers. Over 250 members of the legal fraternity attended the retreat.Ends
