The Rwandan justice system has embarked on a dynamic journey to expedite judicial procedures and mitigate prison overcrowding. At its core, this transformation revolves around a system based on the acknowledgment of guilt by the accused through a pre-judicial agreement, pioneered by Dr. Faustin Ntezilyayo , the President of the Supreme Court.
During the judicial year 2022/2023, 56,379 out of 91,050 reported cases, accounting for 62%, were processed.
The Ministry of Justice has implemented a strategy primarily centered on reconciliation and agreements that hinge on accepting wrongdoing.
When an accused individual confesses to their offense, it may lead to a reduction of charges or a commitment from the prosecution not to seek a sentence exceeding what is stipulated by law.
Presidential directives issued on 05/09/2023 mandate that any agreement must explicitly outline the sentence under consideration by the prosecution, the terms for the accused’s early release, and the mechanisms for restitution to the victim.
This streamlined procedure, which can be initiated at any stage of the trial prior to the court’s verdict, must be ratified by the court while safeguarding the fundamental rights of the accused.
As of May 2023, 280 detainees have already benefited from this conciliation procedure, substantially alleviating prison overcrowding.
As of March 20, 2023, Rwanda’s 13 prisons held over 88,200 inmates, with 12% of them in pre-trial detention.
Dr. Emmanuel Ugirashebuja, the Minister of Justice, expresses optimism about this initiative and highlights the encouraging initial results.