Kigali, July 21 th, 2004 (FH) - In one of the biggest steps towards reforming post-genocide justice in Rwanda, the country on Tuesday swore in 223 judges that will seat on courts ranging from the High court to district courts.

Rwanda recently passed new laws that basically overhauled the entire justice system.

All judges and prosecutors at all levels were suspended and told to re-apply for positions in the new system.

Rwanda is faced with a backlog of genocide related cases. Over 70,000 genocide suspects are awaiting trial in overcrowded prisons across the country. Most of these will be tried by semi-traditional courts set up to assist regular courts complete the trials and to speed up the process of reconciliation.

“We must focus on expediting justice”, said Chief Justice Aloyisia Cyanzayire. “The public shouldn’t be kept running back and forth”, she added.

Rwandan courts have in the past been faced with problems of insufficient manpower, incompetence and lack of logistics.

The Rwandan minister of Justice Edda Mukabagwiza recently revealed that only 10 percent of the judges in Rwanda were qualified.

The ongoing reform is intended at recruiting a smaller, more qualified staff and increasing benefits to lure more applicants. Even then, a few of the judges sworn in on Tuesday to seat on district courts have only done twelve months of school. Officials said these will continue studies as they work.

The judges are nominated by the Supreme Council of magistrates. Judge Tharcisse Karugama, formerly a vice-president of the Supreme Court was sworn in as president of the high court.

GG/FH(CT’0720e)