Domitilla Mukantaganzwa, President of the Supreme Court, emphasized that the judicial schedule prioritizes cases in the order they are filed—cases that enter first should be heard first. She noted, however, that delays sometimes occur due to court-related reasons or the actions of the parties involved.
Mukantaganzwa spoke on 31 October during discussions with judges and staff at the Musanze High Court branch. At this court, there are 1,499 ongoing cases, including 1,096 backlog cases.
The Supreme Court president highlighted measures taken to reduce the backlog, noting that these strategies are showing results. She explained that cases older than six months without hearings are considered part of the backlog, and the goal is to ensure faster delivery of justice.
At the Musanze branch, of the backlog cases, 95% are criminal, while 5% are civil matters. Among cases dating from 2022, 97% are criminal, primarily involving drug-related crimes, child abuse, theft, homicide, and assault.
Mukantaganzwa stressed the importance of swift judicial service, stating that even though six months is not a long time, the courts aim to resolve cases promptly to serve citizens efficiently.
