By EMMY NAMURINDA
The New Times

NORTHERN PROVINCE: GICUMBI - Local leaders and Gacaca judges in Gicumbi District have been accused of taking bribes and remaining tight-lipped instead of fighting the vice that is creeping up in the area.

This was said by Senator Jean Baptiste Bizimana and the district Mayor, Bonane Nyangezi during last Thusrday’s consultation meeting with local leaders and district Gacaca coordinators at EER Byumba.

Bizimana, who was elected to the Senate by the area electorate, said that several Gacaca judges, known best as (Persons of Integrity) take bribes at the expense of justice.

“The reason why Inyangamugayo (Gacaca judges) take bribes is because they are not exposed. They are bribed and when you know about it you never expose them. Rwandans have a tendency of hiding information and this can’t take us anywhere,” the Senator said.

He said that Gacaca officials who are corrupt should be fired and prosecuted in the same way as genocide suspects.

“My personal opinion as Bizimana is that any Gacaca official who is a genocide suspect should be fired from that position and then prosecuted in thesame way as those Gacaca judges who are suspected to have participated in the (1994 Rwanda Genocide,” he said.

The parliamentarian also urged the local leaders and Gacaca officials in the district to work closely, saying their responsibilities were all in the interests of Rwandans.Mayor Nyangezi, said it was a responsibility of all leaders to support Gacaca activities in their respective areas.

“It’s a responsibility of every leader to ensure the smooth running of Gacaca trials. It is not a favour you do for anybody but a responsibility which you have to observe as enshrined in Article 49 of the Law establishing Gacaca,” Nyangezi said.

The mayor also lambasted the area Gacaca officials who he said reveal the tribunals’ secrets at a permature stage, some times resulting in the fleeing of suspects.

“Some (Gacaca) judges reveal decisions taken in privacy before the date of the ruling, causing some suspects to flee. This is very regrettable and unacceptable,” he said, adding that such cases, were reported in Mutete Sector in the recent past.

He called on Gacaca judges to live to their Oath “by which your swore to be execute your duties with integrity and respect of the Gacaca law and procedures. Thesame applies to local leaders. You should do your work accordingly or simply resign “

Recently, the Governor of the Northern Province, Boniface Rucagu, appealed to local leaders to support the activities of Gacaca tribunals but warned them against influencing the outcomes of the trials.