Africa-Press – Angola. The entry into operation of more than 160 guarantee judges, as of Tuesday, in the country, represents a significant advance in the process of consolidation of the Rule of Law itself, according to the member and spokesman of the Superior Council for the Judiciary Judicial (CSMJ), Correia Bartolomeu.
In an interview Correia Bartolomeu declared that the role of the guarantee judges will be, essentially, to safeguard the respect and protection of fundamental rights of citizens in conflict with the law, in the preparatory instruction phase.
He also stressed that it will allow that typical functions of a jurisdictional nature, which were performed by prosecutors, to be carried out by career judicial magistrates, in a neutral and disinterested way, intervening whenever fundamental rights such as freedom, free movement are at stake. , personality, among others.
The member of the CSMJ stated that the
judge’s intervention in the preparatory instruction process aims to supervise the acts of the Public Prosecutor’s Office and carry out acts within its exclusive competence, such as enacting preventive detention, preventive house arrest or even banning the defendants from leaving the country.
These are serious measures that, under the terms of the law, should only be decreed by a guarantees judge, but that until now were determined by prosecutors, he added.
Correia Bartolomeu said that the bodies that intervene in justice need to be endowed with competences and powers to fairly, impartially and independently assess issues related to fundamental rights.
He recalled that, until then, the only body that dealt with cases in the preparatory instruction phase was the Public Ministry, as the entity that directs the procedural instruction, holder of the criminal action, assisted by the police bodies.
He referred that from May 2, 2023, human rights will deserve stronger protection, which has long been acclaimed by citizens.
He stated that the guarantees judge ensures greater predictability and confidence in the judicial system, including foreign investors who come to believe in the existence of strong institutions, with guarantees of credible judicial assistance.
He underlined that the more than 160 guarantees judges, with several years of experience, will cover the 62 District Courts, established by the judicial map of Angola, some of which cover three or four municipalities, depending on the geographical proximity and strategic location of the locality. county seat.
He explained that the Constitution of the Republic establishes, in terms of organization, a common jurisdiction headed by the Supreme Court and which integrates the Courts of Appeal and District Courts.
He said that the Courts of Appeal of Luanda, Benguela and Huíla are currently operating. For the one in Uige, with completed infrastructure, there is no public tender for the appointment of judges.
The fifth Court of Appeal will be located in Saurimo, in Lunda Sul.
He pointed out that in the current framework
, the Provincial Courts no longer exist, giving way to the 62 District Courts which are those of first instance, bringing justice ever closer to the citizens, while those of the Relation are essentially appeals or appeals.
He clarified that the Court of Appeal, in addition to appraising appeals against decisions taken at first instance, also has powers to judge at first instance to challenge administrative acts of a given public entity.
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