BUBANZA July 16th (ABP) – The staff of the various judicial bodies in Bubanza province (north-western Burundi) is called upon to properly accomplish their task of protecting, prosecuting and judging for the proper functioning of society. This was said on Thursday July 14 during the meeting of the Minister of Justice, Mrs. Jeanine Nibizi, held at the headquarters of the province with the inhabitants and the staff of the various judicial bodies.
During that meeting, the chief of Bubanza High Court, Mrs. Clarisse Kaneza, spoke of the obstacles to the proper functioning of the courts of that province, namely the insufficiency of judges, magistrates and offices, the lack of travel means for field trips, and rebellions against the execution of trials and others.
In their grievances, some plaintiffs and local administrative officials spoke of cases that pass delays in deliberation, copies of judgments that are not delivered on time and that prevent plaintiffs from appealing to other judicial bodies within the deadlines provided by the law, the reception of complaints for cases already closed and executed, impunity, non-compliance with the law in the execution of judgments, a check by ABP revealed.
Minister Nibizi calls on judges to cut short with the bad habit of hiding behind articles that protect them to behave inappropriately in rendering judgments. This because the dysfunction of justice creates insecurity and development remains impossible without security, she said. She warned judges who do not fulfill their role properly, warning that they face penalties according to the law, until dismissal. She invited them to respect the law and others. On that occasion, Mrs. Nibizi ordered the transfer of the judges of the courts of residence of Bubanza, Muyebe and Gihanga who were accused of being obstacles to the proper functioning of justice, and to carry out investigations into judgments they have rendered so that the guilty parties can be revoked.
Note that the Bubanza province has seven courts of residence, the prosecutor’s office and the High Court.