Court To Try International Crimes Opened In Rwanda

A Specialised Chamber for International Crimes of the Rwanda High Court established in 2012 has been officially opened.

The Rwf2.3 billion facility financed by Rwanda and the Netherlands was innaugurated by Chief Justice Sam Rugege on Thursday in Busasamana Sector, Nyanza District.

The ceremony was attended by different officials including the Minister for Justice and Attorney General Johnston Busingye and Ambassador of the Netherlands to Rwanda, Frederique Deman, who in her speech said that, “Netherlands has been, and wants to remain a proud partner of Rwanda.’’

‘The Netherlands has been, and wants to remain a proud partner’ I just said in my speech. @BusingyeJohns @RwandaJudiciary @NyanzaDistrict https://t.co/qnhvDnnX7K

— Frederique de Man (@frederiquedeman) June 28, 2018

Minister Busingye commented on twitter saying that, ‘’Walking with us to a new high.”

He added that with a physical home for international justice, the Institute for Legal Practice in Rwanda, the international standard Mpanga Correctional facility next door, open visa policy, “Rwanda is now an international justice option.’’

Thanks NL @frederiquedeman for walking with us to a new high.With a physical home for international justice, the Institute for Legal Practice right here, the international standard Mpanga Correctional facility next door, open visa policy, Rwanda is now an int'l justice option.

— Busingye Johnston (@BusingyeJohns) June 28, 2018

Chief Justice Sam Rugege said that, “Nyanza used to be a home of justice because it is where the king’s high court was based.”

He added that Nyanza has once again become a home of justice because it is where international crimes and trans border crimes will be tried.

Meanwhile, the high court chamber was established with the mandate to judge persons alleged for genocide and war crimes as well as human trafficking and crimes against humanity for those who were deported from their countries and from International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda.

This chamber has been operating from Kigali High Court Chamber since 2012.

In October 2015, the Rwanda Supreme Court inked an agreement of Rwf2.3 billion with Horizon Construction Company to build this facility.

The building would help the chamber to meet international standards in matters of logistics to ensure that files and documents are safe.