National Legislative Assembly in Juba, June 2013. Photo: Murray Olds/EyeRadio

The National Parliament has ruled that South Sudan’s judiciary should be financially accountable to the Public Accounts Committee in the parliament to ensure that resources are properly utilized.

Last year, a delegation from the Assembly and the judiciary traveled to Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania to find out whether their systems of justice are financially accountable to the National Assembly.

The delegation recommended that parliament should monitor expenditure of public funds.

The chairperson of the parliamentary committee of information, Honorable Joy Kwaje Eluzai, who was addressing the sitting, said the Assembly will endorse the bill to protect public funds.

“Through the debate it has been very clear, whoever is handling the financial issue in the judiciary will be accountable whether he is the chief registrar or somebody appointed by the Finance Minister,” said Hon Kwaje.

“As long as he is handling funds that belong to the people of South Sudan he will be accountable to the people’s representatives.”

The Assembly also directed the chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee to take note of the resolutions passed by the Assembly.