The ongoing training of local judges on the principles of sentencing, should go a long way to streamline and harmonise equitable punishment.It is not understandable that similar crimes have different terms of sentencing, which all rests on the whims of a sitting judge, which is a very dangerous precedence that is prone to abuse.It has been the norm for different judges to hand down different sentences for similar crimes with no clear explanation.One only has to look at the regular reports by the Office of the Ombudsman which lists cases of corruption convictions and the punishments meted out; A farmer in Rusizi is convicted of giving a Rwf 15,000 bribe and is sentenced to 10 years imprisonment.Another farmer in the same district, commits a similar offense, dishes out a Rwf 100,000 bribe and is handed only two years. Examples abound, therefore the need to have a judicial sentencing manual in place could not have come at a better time.As cited above, giving a judge unfettered powers to decide the scope of the punishment can open avenues to possible corruption, yet this country is at the forefront of fighting the vice.Apart from streamlining punishments, the judiciary also needs to strengthen its inspection mechanisms, reviewing cases in a bid to ascertain whether a judge was fair in his sentencing and righting the wrongs wherever they may arise.Only then will the people have more confidence that the judiciary is not just there to punish, but to mete out justice.
