A workshop aimed at amending and reviewing some of the laws relating to the Criminal Procedure Code of 2008 has ended in the capital Juba.
The South Sudan Law Review Commission in collaboration with United Nations, organized the three-day workshop.
A member of the Commission, Monyluak Alor Kuol, explained in a press statement after the end of the workshop on Thursday, that it recommended amendments to the criminal laws for 2008, confirming the change to the Penal Code.
Alor said the amendments would be shared with the Ministry of Justice.
“We expect the Ministry of Justice to table the recommendations to the Cabinet for discussion before they endorse and send them to the Transitional Legislative Assembly for approval,” he said.
A representative of the Bar Association, Bulen Isiah Kulang, said that the aim was to amend the criminal law to align it with the Constitution of South Sudan.
“Most of the laws are pre-independence and they are not in line with the constitution,” said Kulang.
He singled out the issue of fines that have been discussed several times, noting that the old rates were unhelpful in the administration of justice.
A lawyer at the Military Court, Gabriel Chok, expressed his happiness with the amendment to the Penal Code of 2008.
“We discussed everything related to amending the provisions of the Criminal Code in South Sudan with the participation of the Bar Association, the Law Review Commission and civil society,” Chok said.
“We have identified some issues that are supposed to be removed, and others added, so that we can cope up with changes and technology.”
Chuok explained that the law always changes with the times, cultures and norms of the society, adding that there was no way the South Sudan law could be left behind.