Africa-Press – South-Sudan. A mobile court supported by the United Nations Mission in South Sudan concluded hearings in Mundri, Western Equatoria state, after trying 30 criminal and civil cases and securing 14 convictions, officials said.
The court, which sat from March 18 to March 31, acquitted 16 defendants. It handled 28 criminal cases and two civil cases, with support from the U.N. mission and funding from the Norwegian Embassy in Juba.
Nine of the cases involved murder. Three were dismissed, three resulted in acquittals and three ended in convictions, with sentences ranging from six years in prison to life imprisonment, along with fines.
The proceedings also underscored the prevalence of sexual and gender-based violence in the Greater Mundri area, where six convictions were recorded for crimes including rape. For some survivors, it marked their first access to formal justice.
During the hearings, the U.N. mission’s rule of law and human rights teams, working with partners, civil society and local authorities, provided protection measures including psychosocial support, legal assistance and logistical support such as transport and accommodation.
The mission also offered technical assistance to judicial authorities, guidance to prosecutors and investigators, and monitored proceedings on site.
Mobile courts in South Sudan are part of broader efforts to expand access to justice, reduce prolonged pretrial detention and ease overcrowding in prisons.
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