Liptako: The Dori High Court opens an extraordinary criminal session to try 28 cases
The criminal chamber of the High Court (TGI) of Dori commenced extraordinary criminal hearings, which will continue until July 13 at the courthouse and the town hall's reception hall. The primary goal is to address the criminal backlog of the jurisdiction, consisting of 28 cases, as part of a new dynamic to speed up judicial case processing.
According to Burkina Information Agency, the solemn session marking the opening of these hearings was led by Abdoul Dramane Ilboudo, President of the Dori High Court, in the presence of criminal justice system stakeholders and numerous personalities. In his indictment, Yamtarba Kafando, the prosecutor of Faso at the TGI of Dori, emphasized that this extraordinary session aims to adjudicate the 28 pending criminal cases, enabling the jurisdiction to start afresh.
The prosecutor explained that the session will examine two main categories of cases. The first category involves offences against persons and property, such as murder, assassination, and aggravated rape. The second category pertains to economic offences, specifically alleged embezzlement of public funds exceeding 70 million FCFA. These cases highlight the range of disputes faced by the jurisdiction and necessitate a prompt judicial response.
Prosecutor Kafando noted that the effort to clear the criminal backlog began with addressing 210 correctional cases out of a total of 215. He assured that the jurisdiction aims to eliminate long waits before cases are judged, stating that delays of several years for criminal or correctional cases are no longer acceptable. This approach is part of the legislative reforms initiated in 2025, which now assign the judgment of criminal cases to regional courts.
The prosecutor invited the public to attend these hearings, emphasizing that justice is delivered in the name of the Burkinabe people and that these trials have an educational purpose. He also expressed gratitude to the Ministry of Justice and partners who helped organize the sessions.
President Abdoul Dramane Ilboudo wished all participants in the criminal justice system well, hoping that the decisions made will contribute to fair justice and reset the counter in terms of pending criminal cases. Through these extraordinary hearings, the High Court of Dori aims to accelerate case processing, enhance the public justice service's efficiency, and solidify the judicial reforms implemented in Burkina Faso.