Cell leaders warned against random arrests

EASTERN PROVINCE NYAGATARE — The assistant Attorney General, Jacqueline Bakamurera has cautioned cell executive secretaries against random arrests and imprisonment of people allegedly suspected of committing crime. She cited some cell leaders who have previously used their powers to arrest and imprison suspects, and urged them to desist from the practice, and leave it to police. She was on Wednesday speaking at the closing of a three-day seminar organized for cell leaders. The seminar held at Nyagatare Nursing School, was organized by the Justice Ministry in collaboration with Haguruka, to improve the capacity of participants in resolving disputes among communities. Bakamurera urged the participants to avoid delaying cases in order to allow locals involve in developmental programmes. If you don’t resolve the pending cases in your areas, your people will waste their entire time in courts instead of working, she said, stressing that cases should be handled within 30 days. Bakamurera noted that the Ministry of Justice has been getting bad reports of how some local leaders were mishandling different cases among residents. During the training, participants were briefed on some court procedures. Since most of our local leaders are not professional judges, they needed some useful briefing on court proceedings to enable them handle the different cases at their work places, Bakamurera said. Ends