Authorities in Lakes State’s Cueibet County said a special court on Wednesday commenced trying murder cases.
The special court which was formed in Juba is composed of seven members including traditional chiefs from the various counties in Lakes State and is headed by a judge.
The High Court judge in Cueibet County, Justice Garang Mangok Yai, confirmed to Radio Tamazuj that he had started handling murder cases there.
"After the opening of the special court in Cueibet County on Tuesday, I went for a visit to Cueibet prison and found 58 cases, 31 cases are from Rumbek, and 27 cases are from Cueibet County. 30 out of 58 cases are murder cases and the rest includes theft and some relatives who have been arrested on behalf of others who have committed crimes,” Justice Mangok said.
He said the special court formed by the Chief Justice was supposed to have started handling murder cases in Lakes State at the start of August but was delayed due to challenges in the transportation of the chiefs who are members.
The special court has a mandate of four months starting 1 September and ending 1 November 2021.
Justice Mangok said there is a possibility of extension of the court’s mandate by a chief justice in the event the trial of accumulated cases is not completed within the allotted time. He urged complainants to come forward with their cases before the special court.
"My message to people in Cueibet County is that the special court is given the powers of a High Court by the chief justice. I urge you, if you want to appeal, you can appeal in the Bahr el Ghazal Court of Appeal and not the Lakes State High Court,” Justice Mangok said.
The executive director of Cueibet County, Chol Cindut, said he was informing the community that the special court has started working and that those with cases should appear.
"I am now in a briefing with all the Payam administrators in my office so that they may go out and inform everyone who has a case of his relatives killed or who has a suspect arrested to come to the special court,” Cindut said.
He said the special court is tasked with trying cases of murder, aggravated robbery, and or looting of properties in Cueibet County.