The Supreme Court () is the highest civil and criminal court in Burundi. It has nine members, including the Court President, who are nominated by the Judicial Service Commission and appointed by the President of the Republic after the approval of the Senate.Burundi The court's president is referred to as the Chief Justice.
The composition of the Supreme Court was established as a Court of Cassation with the independence of Burundi in 1962. Its current form is regulated by the Law of 25 February 2005. It is composed of three chambers which are known collectively as the United Chambers (chambres réunies): Judicial Chamber (chambre judiciaire); Administrative Chamber (chambre administrative); Chamber of Cassation (chambre de cassation).
The Judicial Chamber is sub-divided into two sections: a Section of First Instance (section du premier degré) and an Appellate Section (section d'appel). Attached is the National Department of Public Prosecutions.
The Supreme Court may sit together with the Constitutional Court constituting the High Court of Justice which has special powers, such as the ability to try an incumbent president or government ministers for treason.
History Article 94 of the 1962 constitution of the Kingdom of Burundi provided for a Supreme Court. The constitution gave the court sole competence over criminal cases against government ministers and members of the Parliament, as well as questions of constitutionality of laws and disputes between different branches of government. The court was given competence to retry decisions made by the judiciary before independence. An Accounts Court was brought into service as a special chamber of the Supreme Court in May 1975 to try cases of government corruption.
List of chief justices This list of all chief justices (incomplete for some years): NameTook officeLeft officeNotesAndré Masunzu 19631963Alois Malorerwa 19641964Joseph Bukera19671974 Gaétan Rugambara19741976 Vincent Ndikumasabo19771977Pasteur Nzinahora19781987[Juvénal Njinyari listed as President in 1981 docket]Gérard Buyoya19881989 Thérence Sinunguruza19901990Timothée Bisumbagutira19951995Juvénal Njinyari19951995 Salvator Seromba19951998[Adrien Nyankiye listed as President in 1996 docket]Ladislas Ndayisenga19981998 Timothée Bisumbagutira19991999Adrien Nyankiye20002005Ancilla Ntakaburimvo20062011Jean-Marie Ngendanzi20112011Emmanuel Jenje20122014 Sylvestre Mpawenayo20152016François Nkezabahizi20162019Emmanuel Gateretse28 Octobre 201918 November 2024 Amb. Gamaliel Nkurunziza 19 November 2024 Present
See also Judiciary of Burundi Constitutional Court of Burundi
References
Works cited
External links http://www.iasaj.org/juridic/fiches/membre/burundi.htm