FVP Riek Machar VPs Wani Igga and Hussein Abdelbagi Ayii attended the release of report by JRC on access to justice|Courtesy

A study by Judicial Reforms Committee has found out that the South Sudanese public have lost confidence in the country’s judiciary and strongly demand for reforms in the institution.

It cites widespread interference in judicial independence by some elites.

Other findings include low number of judges at all courts with extreme under representation of women.

The report also indicated popular demand for the establishment of an independent, impartial, and credible constitutional court.

“Key findings include strong public support for the reform of the judiciary, so public support we found to be everywhere. We also found the need to restore public confidence in the judiciary.

“There was a lot of thought that the apparent interference in the independence of the judiciary by some, not all, by some members of the Executive bodies.

“We found support for the establishment of an independent, impartial, and credible constitutional court.

“We found very law number of judges at all court levels. We found extreme underrepresentation of women in the judiciary. There was need for robust and continuous judicial training in the judiciary,” read out the report, James Ogoola who is the Chairperson of South Sudan’s Judicial Reforms Committee presented the report.

He called for urgent action to restore public confidence in the judiciary.

“In our view, improve, reform and transform the status quo at the judiciary of today to turn it to a vibrant, well staffed, well trained, well equipped and well en-dowered judiciary of the modern times”, he said.

The Committee was mandated to study indebt the existing steps of the judiciary of the country and make recommendations where necessary as provided for in the agreement.

It was also mandated to explore and examine the elements if any, that have weakened the existing judiciary and prescribe solutions for the challenges.