The Ombudsman’s final opinion cannot be reviewed unless the complainant can submit new evidence and information which were not available at the time that the investigation was under way and which may serve to put the case in a different light.
It should be pointed out, however, that the Ombudsman’s decision does not affect the legal rights of a complainant who does not agree with the outcome of his/her case. There is nothing to stop a complainant from taking his/her case to court following the conclusion of the Ombudsman’s investigations. Thus, although the Office of the Ombudsman serves as an alternative to the court and provides a non-judicial form of remedy to citizens, a complainant’s statutory right is not affected by the submission of a grievance to the Ombudsman.
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