South Sudan’s High Court halts receiving cases, petitions

November 23, 2017 (JUBA) – The High Court in South Sudan has, in a new directive, instructed courts and advocates to not receive cases.

“The General Public and the advocates are hereby notify that from 1st December, 2017, the courts has directed to not receive cases and will start from 1st January 2018,” reads the 23 November, 2017 notice signed by High Court judge in Juba, Duoth Kulang Bichiok.

The public, in the notice, were also advised not to make petitions of the civil case (suits) and criminal case except remand persons.

The directive does not, however, provide any explanation and no explanatory statement was released by the judiciary to the public.

The notice comes barely a month after the Supreme Court judge, Justice Marino Pitia resigned over “lack of judicial independence”.

Pitia, in a letter to the president, cited lack of independence of judges and justices, security of tenure of the office of the judges and justice, lack of financial independence of the judiciary and poor administration, among other issues.

According to the judge, independence of the judiciary in the young nation has become a “mockery” and “pasquinade” over the years and faulted the executive for “interfering” in the country’s judicial matters.

(ST)