![South Sudan Chief Justice Chan Reec Madut speaking during the opening of local court in Juba, South Sudan, on December 3, 2020 [Photo by Sudans Post]](https://i0.wp.com/www.sudanspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/DSCF8872-scaled.jpg?quality=89&ssl=1)
Speaking during the opening of the Judiciary Reform Commission workshop in Juba on Monday, Justice Madut decried the lack of judicial independence in the country.
“We are a new country and the experiences of other countries will benefit us and we are hoping to see a reformed judiciary far away from political influences, and what our people need is a truly independent judiciary,” Madut said during the one-day judicial reform workshop in Juba on Monday.
On his part, IGAD’s special envoy to South Sudan, Dr. Ismail Wais called for a comprehensive and far-reaching judicial reform in the country to lay the foundation for democratic, peaceful, prosperous South Sudan.
“The revitalize peace agreement is demanding that undertaking a comprehensive and far-reaching judicial reform in the country will lay the foundation for leading in democracy, peaceful, prosperous and united South Sudan that is based on equality, justice and respect for human rights and the rule of law,” Dr. Wais said.
In November 2017, South Sudan’s Supreme Court judge, Justice Kukurlopita Marino Pitia resigned over a “lack of judicial independence”.
In a letter addressed to President Salva Kiir, Pitia also cited the 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 of the judiciary, among others.
Pitia said lack of independence from the executive had turned the judiciary into a “mockery” and complained of poor working conditions.
