Garango:The High Court of Tenkodogo is set to conduct mobile criminal court hearings in Garango, located at the foot of Mount Boulgou, from October 13 to 15, 2026. These sessions, intended to bring justice closer to the people, will also include the issuance of legal documents and a legal clinic. This initiative is supported by the Belgian development agency Enabel as part of the 2023-2027 bilateral program between Belgium and Burkina Faso.
According to Burkina Information Agency, the president of the Tenkodogo High Court, Raymond K. Sanogho, announced the initiative, highlighting it as a response to the challenges people face in accessing public justice services. Mr. Sanogho emphasized the importance of making justice understandable and accessible to the public.
The mobile hearings are part of the "governance and social cohesion" component of the bilateral program BFA2300411, implemented by Enabel in 20 municipalities across the Nakambe, Oubri, and Koulse regions. The program aims to strengthen the resilience of vulnerable populations by building a harmonious local justice system where traditional courts and other legal bodies collaborate effectively.
The initiative in Garango has three main objectives to dismantle psychological barriers to judicial institutions, to popularize new reforms such as the code of persons and family, the code of criminal procedure, and the law on Community Service (TIG), and to make justice more accessible to litigants, particularly women, youth, and vulnerable groups.
Over two days, the mobile court will address approximately twenty criminal cases, focusing on charges such as threats, defamation, theft, and discrediting court decisions. Priority will be given to cases involving gender-based violence and land disputes, with the goal of allowing at least 100 local residents to observe a complete trial process.
In conjunction with the court hearings, a legal clinic and mobile service counter will offer free advice and guidance in collaboration with the Movement for the Defense of Human Rights and Human Rights (MBDHP). The mobile service counter will facilitate the issuance and correction of commonly requested legal documents, such as Burkinabe nationality certificates and criminal record extracts.
Parents seeking to regularize their children's administrative status, citizens needing corrections on birth certificates, and individuals requiring documents for competitions and administrative procedures are particularly encouraged to participate.
Awareness sessions on fighting gender-based violence and legal assistance are planned in the days leading up to the hearings. Enabel also supports similar initiatives at the High Courts of Kaya, Koupela, and Ouaga 1 to improve the handling of gender-based violence cases and enhance the effectiveness of the criminal justice system.
President Sanogho has called on the people of Garango and nearby communities to attend and take advantage of the opportunity to learn about legal procedures and complete administrative formalities.