KIGALI -  Members of the Kigali Bar Association (KBA), yesterday, concluded a one-week training workshop in International Criminal Law.

The training is a continuation of a series of trainings facilitated by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) with the aim of equipping Rwandan lawyers with necessary skills to handle international cases.

Speaking to The New Times, the Judicial Counsellor at ICTR, Patrick Enow, said that the training is a continuation of the ICTR process of strengthening the rule of law in Africa.

"We tried to pass on the experiences that the ICTR has had in international jurisdictions to the participants,” said Enow. He added that the training is instrumental in broadening the lawyers’ knowledge of International Criminal law.

"Their training was conducted in a practical manner where they were subjected to moot courts,” he said.

A moot court is an extracurricular activity in which participants take part in imitated court proceedings resembling a real court.

In an interview, Mary Katushabe, a legal practitioner with a Kigali-based law firm, said that the training was essential.

"This kind of training is fundamental for us lawyers because the world has become a global village and we need the skills to be able to work anywhere without limitation,” said Katushabe.

She added that lawyers in Rwanda were limited by lack of resources such as research centres to further empower them.

Donatien Mucyo, who, represented the chairperson of the Bar, said that the level of Rwandan lawyers, according to what he witnessed during the moot court exercise, was promising.

"It is not true that our lawyers are not able, they only need to be updated on the new trends in law to be able to work anywhere,” said Mucyo dismissing the common perception that Rwandan lawyers are not good enough.

"Some of the lawyers who participate in international cases went to the same schools with many others here in the country, which makes me believe that our local lawyers are just as good.”

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