A mobile court established in the Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA) by the Judiciary in mid-March is racing with time to hear a backlog of 429 major cases in Pibor Town.

GPAA Local Government Minister Peter Ajany Kaimoi told Radio Tamazuj that hearing and trial of the cases have been ongoing for about two weeks. He said those to be convicted of capital offenses will be transferred to Juba to serve their jail terms.

“About two weeks ago, the Judiciary of South Sudan deployed a team of judges to address a backlog of 429 major cases, including murder and robbery cases,” he explained. “These cases filed up because we do not have judges.”

The minister hailed the deployment of judges as a relief and said a lack of judiciary in GPAA created a culture of impunity.

“Customary law only addresses culture-related offenses,” he said. “Major crimes, including murder and theft of huge money, require a judiciary, yet since the inception of GPAA, we have not had a judiciary.”

Minister Ajany appealed for the establishment of a permanent court to foster peace and justice in Pibor.     

GPAA was established in 2014 by a presidential decree that carved Pochalla and Pibor counties from the rest of Jonglei State.

The area has witnessed a vicious cycle of inter-communal violence and other crimes. Since its establishment, the area has been run without a constitution or judiciary. Radio Tamazuj