Abstract:
As stated under the FDRE and SNNPRS constitutions, accused persons have the right to a public
trial by an ordinary court of law within a reasonable time after having been charged. Right to
speedy trial is also a guarantee for arrested or detained persons and they have right to be
brought before a court within 48 hours of arrest and the additional time given for investigation
has to be conducted respecting arrested person's right to a speedy trial. Many international and
regional human rights instruments guarantee the right to speedy trial. At national level, the
FDRE and SNNPR give guarantee to the protection of the right to speedy trial. To avoid the
problem of delay and prolonged pre-trial detentions, prosecutors have given with broad roles
and mandates in the administration of criminal justice starting from involving in pre-trial crime
investigation to post trial proceedings including appeal and execution of sentences. Various
international and regional laws and standards such as Guideline on the roles of prosecutors,
adopted by United Nations congress on prevention of crime and treatment of offenders require
prosecutors to perform all the power and mandates given to them fairly, consistently and
expeditiously.
The Federal and SNNPR attorney general establishment proclamations also requires
prosecution office to involve actively in crime investigation stages to avoid unlawful arrest and
prolonged detentions in pre-trial crime investigation stage. The objective of this study is to
assess the roles of public prosecutors in enforcement of the right to speedy trial in Kambata
Tembaro Zone. The study examines whether prosecutors in study area exercises their roles and
mandates effectively and efficiently to ensure the enforcement of the right to speedy trial. To
analysis this, researcher has collected data from different stake holders. Accordingly, the
findings of the study shows that, prosecutors in study area faces many challenges in their
endeavor to enforce the right to speedy trial .They fails to perform broad mandates given to them
in the administration of criminal justice effectively and efficiently. Due to this, in study area,
arrested or accused persons face unnecessary delay, prolonged detention and unlawful arrest
