Winning the fight against corruption in Africa: an independent and accountable judiciary with integrity is key

The purpose of the present policy brief is to highlight the important role of the judiciary in combating corruption in Africa. It posits that success or failure in combating corruption in Africa depends in large part on the independence, integrity and accountability of the judiciary and its faithfulness to the rule of law. In this regard, the brief presents three main messages. First, the judiciary is not only one of the main pillars of governance, but also is, above all, the custodian of the (sanctity of the) rule of law and the harbinger of justice and people’s rights. Second, for the judiciary to be effective in combating corruption, it not only must be incorruptible, but also must be perceived as such. Lastly, although the enhancement of the independence of the judiciary is paramount for its proper functioning, independence should not trump accountability; rather, judicial independence needs to be mediated by judicial accountability.