Hearings and trials at the High Court in the Jonglei State capital, Bor, have resumed after it closed in November last year due to floods.
The residents there welcomed the resumption, saying they will now have their grievances settled.
Justice John Yel Aleu, the President of the High Court in Jonglei, told Radio Tamazuj Monday that the operations started last month after floodwaters receded in the town.
He pointed out that court proceedings have been ongoing unhindered since they started.
“Work at the High Court started over a month ago. We are now operating normally. Floodwaters in parts of the town have receded,” he said.
The High Court official urged those with unresolved cases to come to the court for a settlement.
“So, now anyone with a case which has not been resolved should bring their cases forward,” he said.
Several Bor residents welcomed the resumption, describing it as a relief for them.
“I welcome the resumption. Personally, I do not have a case at the court but for us, in Bor, it is good news because all disputes will be settled,” said John Bior, a Bor resident.
Another resident, Awan Isaiah, could not hide his happiness over the High Court reopening, saying a year-long dispute over his plot may now be resolved.
“I have a case that has not been resolved at the court since December 2019. Somebody tried to claim my land. The dispute has not been resolved because the court was closed due to the Covid-19 lockdown and the floods. So, now I am really happy,” he said.
For his part, Bol Deng Bol, a civil society activist in Bor, welcomed the resumption, saying the absence of courts over the past months created conflicts among some residents because there has been no justice for the offended.
The activist said he was in February convicted of defamation by a local in Bor, an act he said contradicts Article 289, Penal Code 2008.
“Some lawbreakers have used the absence of the High Court to commit crimes. Local courts have been the only courts operating. They only follow customary laws. This has created problems in Bor. I was convicted, and fined 50,000 SSP by a local court for defamation,” he said.