In what can be seen as a massive purge of the country’s judiciary, Democratic Republic of Congo President, Joseph Kabila on Tuesday sacked more than 200 magistrates.

The 256 affected magistrates were dismissed with immediate effect for not having their original law degrees from recognized institutions and indulging in corrupt practices while in office.

According to the Congolese government, the judges did not fulfill the constitutional conditions required of them to function as magistrates in the country.

Announcing the dismissals, the country’s Justice Minister, Alexis Thambwe Nwamba said judges could not enter the judiciary with the objective of making money, adding that a law would soon be introduced to raise the bar for aspiring magistrates.