The University Clinics of Bukavu, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, recently inaugurated a new building for the forensic medicine center. This initiative aims to strengthen the fight against impunity for serious crimes and sexual violence.
The forensic medicine center, operating since September 2020, was in need of adequate infrastructure to ensure its proper functioning. Thanks to this new building, it will be able to fully fulfill its mission which consists of linking the judicial sector to medicine.
According to Professor Arnold Aluma, representative of the rector of the official University of Bukavu, the forensic center will help elucidate the causes of death and facilitate investigations concerning genealogical origins. It will serve as a focal point between medicine and justice to provide forensic medical evidence in criminal investigations.
This initiative is welcomed by various actors, in particular the military justice system which believes that it will help avoid approximate decisions. The coordination of civil society in South Kivu also expressed satisfaction with the creation of this center.
It should be noted that the construction and equipment of this forensic center were made possible thanks to funding from the United Nations Joint Human Rights Office (UNJHRO) to the tune of 66,000 US dollars. The work was carried out by the non-profit organization SOS IJM over a period of 8 months.
The provincial Minister of Health, for her part, recommended good management of this new establishment.
The establishment of this forensic medicine center constitutes a significant step forward in the fight against impunity and violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo. It will strengthen investigative capacities and provide reliable medical evidence to support legal actions. This initiative will thus contribute to the protection of fundamental rights and the search for truth in criminal cases.