BUNJ/JUBA, 18 November 2025 – A mobile court in Bunj, Maban county, Upper Nile state has successfully concluded its proceedings today, with decisions on 28 serious criminal cases, including murder and sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV).The court convicted 23 people; while 12 were acquitted, or cases against them were dismissed. Further, it released 22 people who were wrongfully incarcerated or had otherwise already served their sentences. Some accused had been held on remand for over four years awaiting trial.Notably, the mobile court delivered decisions on eight SGBV cases, resulting in six convictions. Nine cases involved members of the security forces that resulted in the conviction of eight SSPDF officers, including the conviction of a SSPDF officer for rape. All those convicted are to be dismissed from the military.The Maban mobile court, an initiative led by the Judiciary of South Sudan (JOSS) and the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs (MoJCA), with support from the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), was deployed to address a backlog of serious criminal cases that had resulted in prolonged pre-trial detentions, following the absence of a high court judge in Upper Nile State since 2021.
In addition to the court’s decisions on pending cases related to serious crime, the recent permanent deployment of a judge with high court powers to Bunj by the JOSS is expected to ensure that justice will continue to be provided to victims and survivors.This mobile court was funded by the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Juba.
Note to Editors:
The Maban mobile court was active from 24 October – 18 November 2025. This deployment follows previous successful mobile courts in Malakal in 2023 and Renk in February 2025. It was implemented in close collaboration with the JOSS and the MoJCA. The Judiciary of South Sudan recently deployed high court judges and county court judges with high court powers to Malakal, Renk and Bunj to address the absence of a high court judge in Upper Nile State since 202, which had resulted in a backlog of serious criminal cases pending trial.--Contact: UNMISS Spokesperson, Priyanka Chowdhury at chowdhury20@un.org or unmiss-spokesperson@un.org