Brig. Gen. James Dak Karlo, the deputy spokesperson of police - Credit | Awan Moses/Eye Radio | July 22, 2022

There is a need to review some articles in South Sudan’s Panel Code Act 2008 especially sections encroaching on the bill of rights, the deputy spokesperson of police has said.

Brig. James Dak Karlo described an article in the 2008 Panel Code as ‘ridiculous’ since the section says there is ‘no case between two couples’ even when the woman is hurt during domestic violence.

Brig. Dak made the appeal during the Sundown show on Eye Radio, last Friday.

“Within our constitution, we have the bill of rights which is there. We have to see that there are certain elements that need to be corrected or to be amended,” Brig Dak said.

“In the Panel Code [2008] it says there is no case between two couples and you find that the females are victims because there is no law,

“I beat my wife and then my wife got injured and the law says there is no case, look at this, it is ridiculous, is it so?

“Then you talk of the legal aid that everybody has to have the legal aid according to the constitution, now, I can afford the legal because to get the law is the problem,

“There is no court who will stand with me because the law says I must have the right to be defended by a lawyer. So, the panel code needs a lot of amendments.”

Dak cited articles on the law of evidence, registration, and the panel code to be reviewed or considered equal justice

He suggested now that the country is in the process of constitution making process it is time to reconsider and review some laws to reflect South Sudanese culture and adherence to equal rights for all the people

Brig. Dak was one of the participants discussing the role of organized forces in the constitution-making process.