Mozambique: Cut court case delays, hold civil service officials accountable – president

Login

Register

http://www.clubofmozambique.com/

Mozambique: Cut court case delays, hold civil service officials accountable – president

11:05 CAT | 14 Aug 2023

Photo: O País

Mozambique’s president, Filipe Nyusi, on Friday called for a fight against procedural delays in justice and the involvement of the sector in the “accountability” of public managers for offences.

“It is crucial to strengthen legal and judicial, international, criminal cooperation, as well as greater control of deadlines for the direction and preparatory evidentiary of criminal proceedings,” said the head of state, after swearing in, at the Presidency of the Republic, in Maputo, four new deputy attorneys general.

He pointed out that the new prosecutors have as challenges “the reduction of the high backlog of cases, including appeals to the Supreme Court, as well as the promotion of human and humanitarian rights resulting from the illegal detention and deprivation of liberty of citizens”.

The “reinforcement of the legality of acts carried out by the public administration” and the “accountability of public managers for financial offences” are other “challenges” of the public prosecutor’s office, in the context of “managing the legality and control of public affairs”.

“You are aware of the various constraints that ail the system of administration of justice and that your integration into the team of deputy attorneys general will add value. In fact, with your appointment and taking office, it will reduce the shortage of public prosecutors in the chambers of the Supreme and Administrative Courts,” Mr Nyusi said, addressing the new magistrates.

The top four candidates in a selection process that included 39 candidates were selected for these positions.

“It proves unequivocally that tried and tested competence and meritocracy should serve as the basis for the growth of each one in their professional career,” he said.

He recognised that the hiring of these magistrates “aims to respond to the increased demand in specific areas”, given “the finding of a shortage of deputy attorneys general, especially for criminal and administrative areas”.

“It is on this basis that we urge the following: first, in your actions, be guided above all by the vision that what interests the ordinary citizen above all is the promptness of Justice and the prevalence of Justice. Fair justice over formal justice. Secondly, Justice must be at the service of citizens. The citizen does not understand, and should not understand, formal, time-consuming and costly procedures, which constitute an obstacle to true Justice”, he concluded.

Source: Lusa