Rwanda: Fighting Corruption Should Be in Our DNA - Chief Justice

13 February 2023
The New Times (Kigali)
By Aurore Teta Ufitiwabo

The Chief Justice of Rwanda, Faustin Ntezilyayo, has said that fighting corruption has to be in Rwandans' DNA so that people understand there is no room for any type of bribery or fraudulent behavior.

"Fighting corruption is not an event. Instead, basing on our country's vision, it has to be in our DNA," he said on Monday, February 13, during a press conference at the Supreme Court premises in Kigali as he launched the anti-corruption week.

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The week will run from February 13 to 16, with various activities such as trying corruption-related cases, and talk shows, all aimed at preventing the vice. Ntezilyayo reminded all institutions in the justice sector that fighting corruption has to be a joint effort so as to avoid systemic corruption which has negative effects on the country's development.

Ntezilyayo said there is a special working group which helps hold people to account among other measures.

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And he warned people who think that bribery can make them wealthy.

In addition, he pointed out that the justice sector will not tolerate anyone who will receive or give any type of bribe.

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Ntezilyayo pointed out that fighting corruption in the justice sector is one way to eradicate it in general.

The president of the Rwanda Bar Association, Moise Nkundabarashi, disclosed that there are various measures in place to fight against corruption in the justice sector, such as a special evaluation commission that deals with corruption cases among lawyers.

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Commenting on what is being done to eradicate corruption in prosecution, Prosecutor General Aimable Havugiyaremye, said that there is evaluation and use of technology among others. He said that in the past three years, they had 12 cases of corruption involving prosecutors.

According to the prosecution, the institution has received 2,894 corruption cases in five years.

The officials urge the public to provide information on corruption cases.

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According to the 2022 Rwanda Bribery Index released by Transparency International (T.I Rwanda), the most corrupt Rwandan institutions were Traffic Police, local government institutions, Rwanda Energy Group (REG), and Water and Sanitation Corporation (WASAC).

The report noted that 16.4 percent of the people that interact with traffic police for services may be subjected to bribery demands, while local government institutions followed at 10.6 per cent.

And then REG came third with 10.4 per cent, and WASAC fourth with 10.2 per cent.

Read the original article on New Times.

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