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Juba: Al-Naeim Mubarak Kuol
The mobile court in Juba has released 150 minors, including ten girls, from the Reform School at Juba Central Prison, following trial sessions that began in December 2024.
Judge Achok Chan Reik from the District Court mentioned that the sessions started on December 6th and ended on the 31st of the same month. Judge Rik revealed that a committee consisting of four judges, including two from the district courts and two from the high courts, reviewed cases related to gangs, theft, murder, rape, and both minor and serious injuries. She added that the sentences for these crimes ranged from one to five years.
She said, “We decided on a large number of cases, which helped alleviate the backlog at the Reform School at Juba National Prison. Among the 150 minors released, there were ten girls, who were released either on bail or due to the absence of complainants who had dropped their cases over time. The release process helped reduce overcrowding in the prison.”
The judge confirmed that they faced many challenges during the trial sessions, such as communication with the complainants and delays in deciding the cases. The process took six continuous days, with ten cases reviewed each day, while complainants who had filed charges against the accused had disappeared.
Judge Rik emphasized the importance of the family’s role in creating an environment that helps prevent children from deviating. She mentioned that during her work, she found that children experience a sense of emptiness, and families must work to fill their children’s time with activities that assist them and keep them away from the streets, delinquency, and prisons.
She added that they were able to reach solutions through reconciliation and settlements in some cases, and held advisory sessions for the children and their families in collaboration with social workers at the Reform School at Juba Central Prison.
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