He had no lawyer and pleaded not guilty. Many people have been convicted without their defence witnesses been able to appear in court. There is no full right to appeal in the majority of cases. There is therefore little chance of redress for any who have been unfairly convicted. The judiciary is not independent or impartial.
Urgent reform is needed to ensure greater impartiality and independence.
Its impartiality is further perceived to be compromised by its composition, which is overwhelmingly dominated by judicial officials from the Tutsi ethnic group. Military courts similarly cannot guarantee impartiality. Prison conditions are also harsh and aggravated by severe overcrowding. Between January and April, more than 200 people died in detention in Ngozi prison. The prison, which has a capacity of 400, holds over 2,408 people.