The Public Prosecutor's Office at the Goma Peace Court now has three buildings entirely financed by MONUSCO.
The first rehabilitated building houses the public prosecutor's office of the Peace Court of Goma. It has been completely refurbished: the hall, the courtroom, the two detention cells for men and women, and three sanitary blocks. It is completely covered with a new roof, repainted and paved after the fire that severely damaged and consumed it two years ago.
It also has office equipment and furniture at a cost of 46,500 USD.
The second building has been entirely constructed. It is the Établissement de Garde et d'Education de l'Etat (EGEE), located in the concession of Goma's central prison, and built by the NGO-Syndicat des Initiatives des Femmes pour le Développement, SYFED.
In this new facility for children in conflict with the law, a courtroom has been built. There are also dormitories for boys and girls, a refectory and sanitary facilities. The construction work cost USD 49,710.
As a result, the facility's capacity has doubled, from 60 to 120 inmates.
MONUSCO says that the two buildings are intended to improve working conditions for magistrates at the Goma public prosecutor's office.
In his speech, Nicolas Twendi Banti, First President of the North Kivu Court of Appeal, recalled the various types of support provided by MONUSCO to the Judiciary in North Kivu Province. He expressed his satisfaction with the support provided by the Mission, which has already enabled the correction of numerous dysfunctions in the criminal justice system.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
Mr. Nicolas Twendi Banti concluded his remarks by inviting the director of EGEE and the other direct beneficiaries of the various facilities built and refurbished, to use them for the benefit of the population.
For her part, MONUSCO Head of Office Laila Bourhil stressed that the Mission's support was aimed at improving not only the educational environment for children in conflict with the law, but also the working conditions of EGEE staff.
She added that "MONUSCO is supporting the administration of justice to ensure a fairer system of justice, closer to the population and able to operate in more favorable conditions to restore confidence and combat impunity. Establish the rule of law, and ensure that the fight against impunity reaches all levels".
The official ceremony, which took place in the presence of several personalities, including 8 women from the judiciary, NGOs and members of the United Nations system, ended with the laying of the foundation stone for the construction of the new Goma Peace Court building, scheduled for completion in 3 months ( late August). The total cost of the project is estimated at over one hundred thousand US dollars.
