The government has achieved notable advancements in resolving court cases through various Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) methods, leading to substantial financial savings and more efficient judicial processes.
In the 2023/2024 period, over 12,000 cases were settled through mediation and plea-bargaining, resulting in a savings of Rwf 7,504,967,480 from 38 mediation trials.
In the previous year, 2022/2023, the country saved Rwf 9,558,832,028 using similar approaches, and the year before saw savings of over Rwf 11 billion.
According to Harrison Mutabazi, a court spokesperson, 6,848 cases have been resolved through mediation over the past seven years. In the 2023/2024 judicial year alone, 2,199 cases were settled through mediation and 10,785 through plea-bargaining, indicating a shift towards resolving disputes without extended court proceedings.
Mutabazi noted that during the 2023/2024 judicial year, mediation efforts included the participation of judges, court clerks, and private mediators.
He explained that with 10,785 cases resolved through plea-bargaining, only the Primary and Intermediate Courts were involved, focusing primarily on misdemeanors and petty offenses.
Mutabazi highlighted the broader benefits of mediation, stressing its positive impact on the justice sector and the business community, particularly in commercial disputes that would otherwise experience delays in the court system.
“Mediation shortens court time, reduces appeals, and accelerates the execution process,” Mutabazi stated.
He also pointed out that ADR methods help alleviate court backlogs. “These processes accelerate the resolution of cases, which often contribute to backlogs,” he said.
Mary Muyigwa from Gasabo described mediation as transformative. She shared her experience resolving a land dispute through mediation, praising it for saving her time and money compared to traditional court methods.
“At first, I was doubtful about the fairness of the method. But after hearing positive experiences from others, I decided to try it and was pleased with the outcome. I recommend it to everyone as it provides quicker resolutions and cost savings, benefiting both the judicial system and society,” she said.
Sifa Nzarorimana from Kicukiro recounted the difficulty of her husband’s arrest for a misdemeanor. Despite their financial struggles and inability to afford a lawyer, plea-bargaining allowed his release this year.
“We are poor, and managing our four children alone was challenging for me. Thanks to plea-bargaining, he is now home and able to work again. Things are starting to return to normal,” she said.