The UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) has confirmed supporting South Sudan to deploy the first mobile court to Renk Town in Upper Nile State from January 30 to 22 February.
UNMISS said in a press release Thursday that the court will try 52 serious cases for inmates held in the Renk County Prison since 2021, 12 of which include alleged sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) offences.
“This initiative will allow South Sudan to dispense formal justice to its citizens irrespective of where they live and to hold perpetrators accountable.
“Decades of conflict, civil wars, and multiple crises have devastated infrastructure and displaced populations, forcing communities to rely on traditional courts. In many cases, this has led to a denial of justice for the most vulnerable populations who have the least access to redress,” reads the press release.
Mobile Courts provide a temporary extension of the formal judicial system, deliver justice directly to underserved communities, and reinforce the rule of law where it is most needed.
UNMISS disclosed that the South Sudan Judiciary will deploy two High Court judges, including one female, from Juba and Wau to Renk Town. The mobile court will utilize existing judicial actors and prosecutors, investigators and other police officers to conduct investigations of the cases under trial, present cases in court, and provide security to the judges and detainees.
These mobile courts, which have been previously deployed in Unity, Western Bahr el-Ghazal, and Warrap in 2024 and 2023, are transforming justice delivery, changing attitudes towards sexual violence and children’s rights, and instilling hope in communities that fair trials are possible, and perpetrators face justice.
The press release quoted Nicholas Haysom, the Head of UNMISS South Sudan describing the mobile courts as an innovative solution for the delivery of justice to build credibility and trust in the rule of law.
“The outcomes of past mobile courts, supported by UNMISS, have led to new cases being registered by people who have more confidence that justice will be served,” Haysom is further quoted.
UNMISS supports multiple government partners by providing training and building capacity, to protect civilians, particularly women and children, and prevent conflict related sexual violence and sexual and gender-based violence.