Gen. Anderia Marial at Wau Central Prison during an interview with Eye Radio, March 18, 2026. (Photo: Michael Daniel)

WAU, Western Equatoria (Eye Radio) – The Director of Wau Central Prison has identified the failure of complainants to attend court sessions as a primary driver of critical congestion at the facility.

Director Anderia Marial revealed that the prison—originally built in the 1950s to house 200 inmates—is currently holding nearly five times its intended capacity. The facility now accommodates approximately 940 inmates. When including women and minors held in separate sections, the total population has reached an estimated 1,072.

According to Marial, the legal process often stalls immediately after suspects are transferred to prison because complainants fail to appear in court or follow up on their cases.

The situation has been further exacerbated by disruptions within the judiciary. Marial noted that the recent transfer of judicial personnel led to the suspension of court proceedings, causing significant delays in case handling.

While the law allows for the release of an accused person if a complainant fails to appear for four consecutive sessions, Marial noted that many detainees remain behind bars because prosecutors repeatedly renew their detention orders.

The Director is now calling on the government to review these cases to ease the overcrowding. He noted that while robbery, theft, rape, and murder are the most common offenses among the population, the facility also holds many individuals charged with minor crimes.

The crisis at Wau Central Prison highlights systemic challenges within the justice system in Western Bahr el Ghazal, specifically regarding court delays and the lack of follow-up by key parties in criminal cases.

“The prison’s operations were affected by the transfer of the judiciary, leading to the suspension of cases and the disruption of court proceedings. This impacted the prisoners awaiting trial. Previously, judicial authorities would visit the prison and record cases.

The reason for the backlog of prisoners is the absence of complainants and the lack of follow-up after the suspect’s arrest. I urge the government to reconsider cases if complainants fail to attend hearings.

Many complainants file reports, suspects are arrested, and then they disappear during court sessions, negatively impacting the prison’s overcrowding.

If a complainant is absent from court for four sessions, the accused should be released according to the law.

Instead, the accused is transferred from the police station to the prison, and detention orders are renewed by the prosecution after the case is referred. Due to these renewals, some prisoners have remained in prison for more than a year.”