By Matik Kueth
The government of South Sudan, with support from the UN, will launch a mobile court in Leer County, Unity State, on Tuesday in over a decade to deliver justice for serious crimes, including murder and sexual violence. Judges, prosecutors, and investigators will operate from April 15th to May 9th
“To underscore the importance of justice delivery, the Governor of Unity State and senior representatives from the Judiciary, Ministry of Justice, South Sudan National Police Service (SSNPS), and National Prisons Service of South Sudan (NPSSS) are expected to join the opening of the court on 15 April,” the statement read in part.
“The deployment follows the training of 20 new investigators in southern Unity, with a focus on handling SGBV and V and CRSV-related offenses. On 28 March, UNMISs facilitated the advanced deployment of prosecutors and investigators to begin receiving and processing criminal complaints.” it added.
More than 60 cases have already been reported prior to the arrival of the court, and additional cases are expected to follow.
Guang Cong, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General, stated that the court will handle a combination of criminal and civil matters.
“Mobile courts, while not a substitute for formal justice structures, play a vital and innovative role in restoring public faith in South Sudan’s rule of law architecture,” Cong said.
The Multi- Partner Trust Fund for Reconciliation, Stabilization and Resilience (RSRTF) and the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Juba have provided financial resources for the Leer mobile court.
According to UNMISS, since 2013, sustained conflict and insecurity have forced the withdrawal of judges from Unity State.
“In their absence, residents have relied entirely on customary courts to resolve disputes, including serious crimes beyond their jurisdiction. Leer county, one of the areas hardest hit by conflict, has had no access to formal justice mechanisms for over a decade,” it stressed.
The UN peace mission further pointed out that in 2024, it supported the government in deploying four mobile courts across Unity State, including the first courts in Koch and Mayom counties since independence.
“While no cases were decided by the formal justice system in Unity State in 2023, judges decided 257 cases in 2024. The growing demand for justice also prompted the Governor to support a mobile court in Bentiu in December 2024,” it noted.