In a major push for transitional justice, South Sudan is set to deploy mobile courts to Western Equatoria State next month.
Supported by the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), the initiative aims to address a years-long backlog of criminal cases in the country’s southwestern region.
A specialized team of judicial experts, escorted by UN peacekeepers, recently completed a 200-kilometer assessment mission through rugged terrain to prepare for the deployment. Local authorities have already identified 35 high-priority cases for the first session, including nine murder charges and 15 cases of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV).
The move comes as local communities report a surge in sexual abuse and general lawlessness, exacerbated by a lack of functional permanent courts. Beyond providing immediate justice for victims, the mobile courts are expected to alleviate severe prison overcrowding caused by prolonged pretrial detentions. Despite the 2018 peace agreement, South Sudan continues to face sporadic clashes, making these mobile interventions a critical tool for maintaining the rule of law in unstable territories.
DM/ac/lb/abj/APA