Western Bahr el-Ghazal State Transitional Legislative Assembly has endorsed the Customary Law Bill 2024, making it the first in its justice system.
The Bill was passed after several sittings and amendments, with the final resolution made during the ordinary sitting No. 24/2025 on Monday.
Over the past three years, the local Luo of Jur River County and the Fretits from Wau County, with support from international and local NGOs, have been struggling to establish a law regulating marriages and customary trial in the state.
State Deputy Speaker Louis Pasquale Aleu chaired the sitting and highlighted the significance of the new law.
“This assembly today passed the customary law of Western Bahr el-Ghazal Sate into law, with all the amendments,” said Aleu.
“This law is important to the people of Western Bahr el-Ghazal because it introduces fines for various crimes and sets the rights based on bills agreed upon by the representatives from Wau, Raja and Jur-River,” he explained.
Aleu emphasized that, the customary law would aid courts in addressing crimes such as murder, rape, theft and adultery.
“Understanding this law would help reduce criminal activities, and we are going to distribute it to other states in order to address issues involving the Wau citizens,” he said.
The law will take effect once signed by Governor Emmanuel Primo.
“Each county has made their own customary law pertaining to marriage, murder and rape cases. The assembly has passed them and will make a certificate and hand it to the Council of Ministers for a signature,” he said.
He added that the law would be circulated across the country.
It replaces the Wan-Alel law and will help the courts and other law enforcement agencies to ensure their alignment with the constitution while persevering the cultural heritage of the region.