A Mobile Court established in Central Equatoria State’s Terekeka County has handled 13 gender-based violence (GBV) cases since its inception in mid-August.
William Achuil, a public prosecution attorney, told Radio Tamazuj that verdicts have been passed on 6 of the 13 cases with convicts serving jail sentences of five years or more for rape, defilement, and other forms of domestic violence. He revealed that the majority of the GBV victims whose cases he had handled were minors.
“The Mobile Court was sent to Terekeka on 18 August. Over that period, 8 cases of GBV were investigated and tried, and court orders were passed. Of all the 13 victims of GBV, 11 were minors, ranging from 14 to 17 years of age,” he stated, adding: “Other cases are just waiting for the court to pass judgment.”
Achuil added, “Challenges with handling GBV cases are that there are no specialized doctors because even if the victim’s statement tells of rape, we may not have forensic evidence.”
He said the other challenge is that Terekeka County is vast and some crimes are committed in locations inaccessible by government and cases only reach authorities after two months.
“So there is a need for professional doctors in this regard because the collection of evidence is very weak on issues related to GBV,” Achuil stated.
For her part, Agnes Dudu, a police officer in Terekeka County, said GBV cases are alarmingly high in the county.
“Since the beginning of the year, I have recorded 21 GBV cases ranging from rape, domestic violence, and early and forced marriages,” she revealed. “Some perpetrators of these crimes have been arrested. Four of the victims of defilement were minors aged 8 to 13.”
Meanwhile, Stephen Ochieng, a project officer with the NGO Africa Life Aid, said they are improving access to justice in Terekeka County by providing pro bono services with support from Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA). He also pointed out that they provide GBV victims with psychological support, transport allowances while attending court sessions, and financial support to help them recover.