For the president of the TS, the "distressed citizen" who turns to the institution in search of justice must "deserve all the respect, as it is the main priority" of judicial officials, for which reason, he noted, "he should not wait for more than 30 minutes, at the door of the secretariat without being answered".
The magistrate, who spoke this Tuesday at the end-of-year greetings ceremony in Luanda, congratulated the "positive commitment" seen throughout 2023 in all areas of the TS, an institution that has 300 judicial employees, considering, however, despite the positive results, there is a need for "continuous improvements".
At least 448 cases were judged in the Supreme Court's criminal jurisdiction in 2023, and 215 cases were amnestied, a period in which 292 cases were judged in the civil jurisdiction.
In 2022, he added, 679 cases were processed in the civil jurisdiction and this year 450 cases are being processed, because 292 cases were judged, he stressed.
He also highlighted the number of judge advisors to the body and judicial employees in the various district courts in the country, considering it to be symptomatic of bringing justice closer to the citizen and achieving access to justice in a material sense.
"However, the growth of human resources must be accompanied by technological evolution. The digitalization of all our services is urgent, not only to speed up proceedings, but also to ensure that justice is more effective", he stressed.
Joel Leonardo also urged employees of the judicial institution to maintain secrecy, not to reveal State secrets and to reject attempts at solicitation.
"We will continue our duty of secrecy. We will listen, see, talk less and not reveal or share State secrets, because that is part of our priesthood", said Joel Leonardo.
