The inspectorate of courts say that in the last 18 years, High Council of the Judiciary gave 54 judicial practitioners administrative sanctions and all expelled all of them from the Judiciary. According to the Inspector General of Courts Angeline Rutazana, from 2005 to 2023, some among them those prosecuted were convicted or dismissed. The numbers were disclosed during a meeting held on Thursday, August 31. The gathering brought together various stakeholders in the judiciary sector, including lawyers, judges, prosecutors, investigators, and representatives from the Ombudsman's office, who convened to formulate strategies for tackling corruption within the justice system. ALSO READ: Six things you should know about new anti-corruption committee in judiciary Rutazana identified several obstacles hindering the fight against corruption, including a lack of information on potential cases, colleagues who withhold information from their peers, and certain prevailing attitudes among those receiving services who feel compelled to pay for them. She stressed the importance of regular evaluation meetings, information sharing among practitioners, and efforts to address these challenges to effectively combat corruption in the future, without solely relying on awareness campaigns. She said: “Collaboration is crucial, as individuals working together with a shared vision can expedite the process of eradicating corruption.” Members of the judiciary are urging collective action to eliminate corruption that poses a threat to the seamless delivery of justice within the sector. Moise Nkundabarashi, the President of the Rwanda Bar Association (RBA), highlighted that the central focus of the meeting was to discuss strategies for rooting out the pervasive issue of corruption within the judiciary sector. He stressed that addressing this problem requires a united, collaborative effort due to the intricate interconnection of the entire judicial process. He also noted that a decade ago, eight of their lawyers faced prosecution for corruption, and three were ultimately convicted. “While the number of cases may be relatively low, we acknowledge that corruption exists. The complexity of these cases has made detection quite challenging. In the past three years, the judiciary has taken steps to establish a dedicated committee for investigating such incidents,” he added. Nkundabarashi emphasised that the Bar Association has carefully considered various measures to combat corruption, including a zero-tolerance policy towards practitioners involved in such misconduct. However, he also underscored the importance of collaboration with other stakeholders in this endeavour. ALSO READ: Judiciary unveils committee to fight corruption Abbas Mukama, the Deputy Ombudsman responsible for Preventing and Combating Corruption, acknowledged the prevailing perception of corruption within the justice sector among the public. He emphasised the need to change these perceptions, noting that some individuals mistakenly associate institutional corruption with individual behaviour. Working together is a key factor in educating the public about the distinctions between different institutions. This approach enables individuals to contribute to the fight against corruption collectively and promotes better differentiation, making it easier for people to recognise and understand how to report such incidents, he said.
