FILE PHOTO: Underage detainees line up during a judiciary authority visit to assess the conditions of juveniles held at Juba prison in October 2024. Credit: Michael Daniel/Eye Radio

JUBA, South Sudan (Eye Radio) —A senior Supreme Court judge has stated that the judiciary will deploy a mobile court to Juba National Prison in an effort to tackle a significant backlog of gender-based violence (GBV) cases.

Justice Stephen Simon, the Director of Land and Registration at the Supreme Court, said the deployment is part of the judiciary’s commitment to ensuring justice for vulnerable populations.

The move comes as Juba Prison grapples with severe overcrowding, a situation that has raised concerns about the health and safety of inmates.

Speaking at the close of a three-day capacity-building workshop in Juba, Justice Simon highlighted the urgency of the situation.

The workshop, which focused on judicial capacity, was organized by the Centre for Inclusive Governance, Peace, and Justice (CIGPJ) with support from Norwegian People’s Aid.

“The South Sudan judiciary will deploy a mobile court to Juba National Prison for the GBV cases,” Justice Simon said. “People are working on this to dispose of the backlog of cases.”