5. At the hearing
Mr. Horace
of the Reference, the Applicants were represented
Necutiyumuheto while Mr.
Nestor Kayobera
appeared
by
for
the Respondent.
B: APPLICANTS’
CASE
6. It
from
is
apparent
the
Reference
that
the
Applicants’
case
is
premised on the alleged infringement by Act No. 1/26 of international
instruments that underscore the right to a fair and equitable trial.
the Applicants'
contention
that Article 2of the Act denies
It is
parties a
right of appeal to superior national courts by prescribing the finality of
the Special Court’s decisions when exercising its appellate jurisdiction
viz decisions
of non-judicial
Articles
8 and
5(2),
independence
of
bodies.
9 of the
the
The Applicants
same
Judiciary
Act
by
also challenge
for allegedly
placing
the
eroding
the
appointment
and
determination of judges’ emoluments in the hands of the Executive.
7. In the same
Act No.
vein, it is the Applicants case that Articles 22 and 25 of
1/31
negate
right to a fair and
immediate
litigants’ right of appeal and, consequently,
equitable
trial in so far as they
enforceability ofdecisions
of the National
the
underscore
the
Commission
on
Land and Other Assets (hereinafter referred to as ‘the Commission’),
the
existence
of
a
pending
Appeal
before
the
Special
Courtnotwithstanding.The Applicants do also appear to challenge the
apparent
fusion
of the
Executive
Articles 9 and 31 of Act No.
of members
the Judiciary
1/31, which
of the Commission
as
denoted
by
provide for the appointment
by the President of the Republic of
Burundi, to whom the Commission
8. The Reference was supported
and
reports.
by two identical Affidavits deponed
by
the First and Second Applicants respectively on 17"November 2014.
Reference No.1 5 of 2014
Page 3