Dr. Benjamin Baak Deng, newly appointed Chief Justice of the Judiciary of the Republic of South Sudan – Courtesy

Meet Dr. Benjamin Baak Deng, South Sudan’s newly appointed Chief Justice and a central figure in President Salva Kiir’s bold effort to revive a judiciary long viewed as broken and plagued by public mistrust.

This appointment signals a fresh chapter in the country’s ongoing quest for justice reform, with Dr. Baak’s leadership seen as the potential catalyst for meaningful change South Sudan has been waiting for.

On May 28, 2025, in a decree broadcast on state television, President Kiir dismissed Justice Chan Reech Madut and his deputy, Dr. John Gatwech Lul, appointing Dr. Baak as the new Chief Justice.

Justice Madut had led South Sudan’s judiciary since its establishment following independence in 2011, marking the end of an era and the beginning of a critical transformation under Dr. Baak Deng’s stewardship.

Dr Baak, who now takes the top job, is not new to the legal field. He started his legal career at the University of Khartoum, where he earned his Bachelor of Laws (LLB) in April 1978.

He later received a Postgraduate Diploma in Law in 2000, a Master of Laws (LLM) in Intellectual Property in 2004, and a PhD in International Environmental Law in 2013 — all from the same university.

Before joining South Sudan’s judiciary, Dr Baak had a long and respected legal career in Sudan.
He began working as a Judicial Legal Assistant on 1 August 1979.

He moved up the ranks over the years, serving in rural and urban courts across Sudan and South Sudan.

He became a Second Grade Judge in 1981, was appointed President of the Council of Magistrates in 1983, promoted to First Grade Judge in 1986, and named Judge of the Court of Appeal in 1995.
He was later appointed to the Supreme Court of Sudan on 5 November 2002.

During his career, Dr Baak served in many areas, including Malakal, Nasir, Maiwut, Tonga, Bentiu, Pariang, Biemnhom, Wankai, Mankien, Leer, Bor, Pibor, Pochalla, Tonj, and Wau.
He also served in El Obeid, Kordofan.

Dr Baak is also known for his legal writing. In 2004, he presented a paper titled “The Role of Judiciary in the Protection of Intellectual Property Rights” at a forum by WIPO and the University of Khartoum.
In 2016, he presented another paper on traditional justice and transitional justice in South Sudan at a workshop by the Max Planck Foundation. It was later published in the Max Planck Yearbook of United Nations Law (2017).

Justice system in crisis — now his responsibility

Dr Baak now leads a justice system that many say is broken and in desperate need of reform.

Across the country, many cases remain stuck in court, mostly due to a lack of judges.

In Malakal, Upper Nile State, a local official told Eye Radio in May 2025 that the only judge in the town went on medical leave and never came back.

It’s not clear why the judge didn’t return, but many blame poor working conditions and low salaries, challenges facing all government workers in South Sudan.

No replacement has been appointed, likely because there are few qualified judges available to send. The result: dozens of inmates and even children remain in prison without trial.

Because of the absence of judges, prisons are overcrowded. Inmates, including those with minor charges, are stuck in jail without ever seeing a judge.

The public has also raised concerns about how justice is delivered. Many believe the system is corrupt and not working fairly.

Another big problem is political interference. Some powerful individuals are said to pressure or bribe judges to influence rulings.
This weakens the rule of law and damages the independence of the judiciary.

While urban areas have formal courts run by trained judges, remote communities, where most people live, have little to no access to proper courts.

Customary courts are common in these areas, but they often lack the knowledge to deal with serious or complex cases, leading to unfair rulings.

On top of all this, the country’s conflict and displacement have damaged legal institutions. In many areas, there is a desperate need for justice. But no judge wants to work in a war zone.

Crimes including human rights violations and sexual and gender-based violence often go unpunished, making things worse for victims and their families.

A chance for reform

Dr Baak’s long career and deep knowledge of the legal systems in Sudan and South Sudan make him a key figure in the effort to improve the rule of law.

Now that he holds the top position, it is up to him to lead reforms and restore public trust in the judiciary.
The country has waited years for a fair and independent legal system.

He can either act now to bring the change people want or risk leaving the system in worse shape than he found it.