The local authorities in Torit County in South Sudan’s Eastern Equatoria state have complained about overcrowding of inmates in the prison.
Torit County Commissioner, Charles Ojok, told Radio Tamazuj Monday they lack detention facilities in the county, saying the only prison built in Torit town is accommodating the increasing numbers of inmates from other administrative units.
“This is the biggest prison in the state, sometimes, there are crimes that are transferred to Torit here, that’s why there is overcrowding,” he said.
The official admitted dozens of prisoners are held indefinitely without trial due to a shortage of judges and lack of trainings in the judicial system.
Ojok further said they always receive complaints about deteriorating conditions from the inmates in the Torit prisons. However, he claimed that the Torit prison is exerting efforts to improving the deteriorating conditions.
Reports of human rights groups previously indicated that the judicial system in South Sudan is facing several problems including overcrowding in prisons and detention without trial, besides the challenges facing the legal system including lack of legal aid.