Africa-Press – South-Sudan. Authorities in Mundri West County are pressing the national and Western Equatoria State governments to urgently deploy a resident County Court Judge, warning that a growing backlog of serious criminal cases—particularly sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV)—is denying victims access to justice.
The call was issued by the county’s Executive Director, John Brown, during a one-day rule-of-law engagement convened by the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) in Yambio.
Brown said the absence of a qualified judge has effectively paralysed the formal justice system in the county, leaving traditional authorities to confront cases beyond their legal mandate.
“These serious offences are above the powers of the Paramount Chief and Payam Chief to preside over,” Brown said. “We are appealing to the state and national government to send a County Court Judge to Mundri so that such cases can be handled properly.”
Local officials say the gap has left dozens of cases stalled, with survivors of sexual violence among the hardest hit. Without a functioning court, suspects remain in prolonged detention or are released without due process, while victims are left without legal redress—fueling frustration and weakening public confidence in the justice system.
The urgency of the situation was underscored by a recent two-week intervention by UNMISS, which temporarily deployed two judges to Mundri between March 18 and 30. During the short deployment, more than 29 pending cases were heard, including SGBV, CRSV, and other serious criminal offences—highlighting both the scale of the backlog and the impact of judicial presence.
Officials warn that such ad hoc interventions, while helpful, are not a substitute for a permanent judicial structure. They argue that without sustained deployment of qualified judges, the county risks sliding deeper into a cycle of impunity, particularly in cases involving sexual violence.
Brown also raised concerns about weak detention infrastructure, calling for urgent support to secure the county prison. “We need a secure fence to avoid cases of people running from the prison shell,” he said, pointing to repeated escape incidents that further undermine law enforcement efforts.
The meeting, which brought together local leaders, civil society actors, and UNMISS representatives, focused on strengthening accountability mechanisms in a region grappling with the long-term effects of conflict and limited state presence.
Local authorities say the next step now lies with Juba and the state government: either deploy a permanent judge and reinforce justice institutions, or risk leaving some of the most serious crimes in the county unpunished.
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