Luzolo Bambi Lessa
Encyclopedia
Emmanuel-Janvier Luzolo Bambi Lessa (born 31 January 1958) is a politician in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
. He was appointed Minister of Justice in the Muzito cabinet in October 2008.
. His parents were from the Bas-Congo Province. His father was a member of the armed forces of the Belgian Congo
, then of the Congolese National Army.
Luzolo attended schools run by the Fathers of Saint John the Baptist de la Salle
in Lisala, Kinshasa
and in Matadi
. He then studied Law and Political Science, obtaining a law degree at the University of Kinshasa
in 1985.
He later attended the Institute of Criminal Science and Criminology of Aix-en-Provence and the University of Law, Economics and Political Science of Aix-Marseille III, where he obtained a Master in Law, Penal and Criminal Sciences in 1990 and a Doctorate in Law in 1996.
, moving in 1988 to the University of Kinshasa where he was given the position of Legal Adviser to the Rector.
In 2000 he was appointed Professor of judicial law at the Faculty of Law at the University of Kinshasa.
He also held the offices of Secretary and Head of the Department of private law and justice.
He became Head of the department of private law and the judicial law school of the Protestant University of Congo and of the University of Kisangani.
He joined the Bar of the Court of Appeal Kinshasa / Gombe in 2000, and was chair of the Standing Committee of Congolese Law Reform from 2002 to 2003.
In 2004 he was appointed an advisor to the Administrative and Legal college.
In this capacity, he played a key role in cooperation with between the DRC and the International Criminal Court
, leading to the agreement on judicial cooperation between the DRC and the ICC (6 October 2005) and the Interim Agreement on the Privileges and Immunities of the ICC (12 October 2005).
Luzolo was appointed Minister of Justice on 26 October 2008, and was tasked with fighting against impunity in general, especially the impunity of corruption, sexual violence and acts against the freedom of citizens, as well as reform of justice.
He convened the Supreme Judicial Council in January 2009 for the first time in fifteen years.
He announced a program of competitive recruitment of judges, aiming at 250 in 2009, 500 in 2010 and 500 in 2011, with equal numbers of men and women.
In June 2011 Luzolo Bambi launched a Handbook of Criminal Procedure adapted to the DRC, to replace the textbook by Paul Rubens published 46 years earlier.
The DRC system of justice is based on that of France. After becoming Minister of Justice, Luzolo visited France and obtained promises of assistance in training both senior judges and prison officials.
In August 2010 Luzolo gave his support to "Operation Zero Tolerance", to bring to justice all wrongdoers whatever their status in the elite.
In June 2011 Luszolo announced a program where people could make complaints about miscarriages of justice every Tuesday in the office of Minister of Justice and Human Rights. The program was aimed at eliminating a "two tier" system of justice by giving a vehicle for the poor to speak up.
In August 2011 Luzolo presented a bill to parliament for creation of a special tribunal of foreign and Congolese judges to judge war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in the country since 1990.
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a state located in Central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world...
. He was appointed Minister of Justice in the Muzito cabinet in October 2008.
Birth and education
Luzolo was born on 31 January 1958 at LisalaLisala
Lisala is the capital of Mongala District, in northwestern Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is located at around . The Congo River flows through the city. It is best known as the birthplace of Mobutu Sese Seko, who ruled Zaire from 1965 to 1997....
. His parents were from the Bas-Congo Province. His father was a member of the armed forces of the Belgian Congo
Belgian Congo
The Belgian Congo was the formal title of present-day Democratic Republic of the Congo between King Leopold II's formal relinquishment of his personal control over the state to Belgium on 15 November 1908, and Congolese independence on 30 June 1960.-Congo Free State, 1884–1908:Until the latter...
, then of the Congolese National Army.
Luzolo attended schools run by the Fathers of Saint John the Baptist de la Salle
Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools
The Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools is a Roman Catholic religious teaching congregation, founded in France by Saint Jean-Baptiste de la Salle and now based in Rome...
in Lisala, Kinshasa
Kinshasa
Kinshasa is the capital and largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The city is located on the Congo River....
and in Matadi
Matadi
Matadi is the chief sea port of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the capital of the Bas-Congo province. It has a population of 245,862 . Matadi is situated on the left bank of the Congo River from the mouth and below the last navigable point before rapids make the river impassable for a...
. He then studied Law and Political Science, obtaining a law degree at the University of Kinshasa
University of Kinshasa
The University of Kinshasa , was one of three universities, along with University of Kisangani and University of Lubumbashi, created following the division of the National University of Zaire...
in 1985.
He later attended the Institute of Criminal Science and Criminology of Aix-en-Provence and the University of Law, Economics and Political Science of Aix-Marseille III, where he obtained a Master in Law, Penal and Criminal Sciences in 1990 and a Doctorate in Law in 1996.
Academic career
From 1986 Luzolo worked as a teaching assistant at the University of LubumbashiUniversity of Lubumbashi
The University of Lubumbashi is one of the largest universities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is located in Lubumbashi, the capital city of Katanga province....
, moving in 1988 to the University of Kinshasa where he was given the position of Legal Adviser to the Rector.
In 2000 he was appointed Professor of judicial law at the Faculty of Law at the University of Kinshasa.
He also held the offices of Secretary and Head of the Department of private law and justice.
He became Head of the department of private law and the judicial law school of the Protestant University of Congo and of the University of Kisangani.
He joined the Bar of the Court of Appeal Kinshasa / Gombe in 2000, and was chair of the Standing Committee of Congolese Law Reform from 2002 to 2003.
Political career
Luzolo entered politics as a Research Officer in the Office of the Head of State, and was then appointed Deputy Commissioner General responsible for the reintegration of people displaced by the war.In 2004 he was appointed an advisor to the Administrative and Legal college.
In this capacity, he played a key role in cooperation with between the DRC and the International Criminal Court
International Criminal Court
The International Criminal Court is a permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression .It came into being on 1 July 2002—the date its founding treaty, the Rome Statute of the...
, leading to the agreement on judicial cooperation between the DRC and the ICC (6 October 2005) and the Interim Agreement on the Privileges and Immunities of the ICC (12 October 2005).
Luzolo was appointed Minister of Justice on 26 October 2008, and was tasked with fighting against impunity in general, especially the impunity of corruption, sexual violence and acts against the freedom of citizens, as well as reform of justice.
He convened the Supreme Judicial Council in January 2009 for the first time in fifteen years.
He announced a program of competitive recruitment of judges, aiming at 250 in 2009, 500 in 2010 and 500 in 2011, with equal numbers of men and women.
In June 2011 Luzolo Bambi launched a Handbook of Criminal Procedure adapted to the DRC, to replace the textbook by Paul Rubens published 46 years earlier.
The DRC system of justice is based on that of France. After becoming Minister of Justice, Luzolo visited France and obtained promises of assistance in training both senior judges and prison officials.
In August 2010 Luzolo gave his support to "Operation Zero Tolerance", to bring to justice all wrongdoers whatever their status in the elite.
In June 2011 Luszolo announced a program where people could make complaints about miscarriages of justice every Tuesday in the office of Minister of Justice and Human Rights. The program was aimed at eliminating a "two tier" system of justice by giving a vehicle for the poor to speak up.
In August 2011 Luzolo presented a bill to parliament for creation of a special tribunal of foreign and Congolese judges to judge war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in the country since 1990.