Mobile Court Begins Operations in Bentiu
By Kidega Livingstone
The Bentiu Mobile Court in Unity State has begun hearings following the deployment of a high court judge and a first magistrate appointed by the Judiciary in Juba.
The court, supported by the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), is expected to handle both criminal and civil matters, including serious cases such as murder, sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), and conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV), according to an UNMISS report seen by Juba Echo on Monday.
On 21 September, UNMISS facilitated the advance deployment of prosecutors, investigators, and a victims’ advocate to Bentiu to start receiving and processing criminal complaints. Since the announcement of the court, reports of criminal cases have more than doubled, with a notable increase in SGBV-related cases.
The initiative is being implemented in collaboration with the Unity State government, South Sudan’s judiciary, and the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, with funding from the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Juba. In Bentiu alone, more than 100 criminal cases were reported prior to the court’s arrival, including 21 related to SGBV.
Meanwhile, in Juba last week, the Judiciary called for speedy trials for remanded inmates at Juba Central Prison to ease overcrowding. The call followed the launch of a Mobile Circuit Court for gender-based violence and juvenile cases, supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Government of the Netherlands.
Judiciary officials and a report from Juba Central Prison revealed that the facility currently holds over 1,600 inmates, including individuals facing SGBV and juvenile-related charges.
