Rwanda’s National Commission for Human Rights has acknowledged that some people held in transit centres are suspected or alleged serious offenders who should instead be processed through the criminal justice system and brought before courts.
The issue emerged during a parliamentary discussion in which Senator Alfred Gasana questioned whether people accused of offences punishable under the law were being held in transit centres rather than being investigated and prosecuted.
“You said that most people in transit centres are there over theft-related cases. But aren’t there people who should be taken to the investigation, prosecution and court stages who are instead in transit centres despite having committed offences punishable by law?” Gasana asked.
Providence Umurungi, president of the National Commission for Human Rights, agreed that some people in the centres should be handled through the justice system.
She said such cases contributed to overcrowding and argued that people against whom there is sufficient evidence of criminal wrongdoing should be investigated, have files prepared and be brought before the courts.
Umurungi said the centres needed clearer criteria defining who should be held there, noting that people facing different kinds of problems were often taken to the same facilities.
She added that the commission had called for the Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) to visit the centres, review the cases of those held there and take appropriate action against those who should be processed through the criminal justice system.
“We even asked them to remove at least 1,000,” she said, referring to people she believed should be taken out of the centres and have their cases handled through the proper legal procedures.
Her remarks highlighted concerns about the management of transit centres, including overcrowding and the need to distinguish people requiring temporary assistance from those suspected of criminal offences.
