Deputy Chief Justice says judges quitting over poor working conditions, pay

JUBA – South Sudan’s Deputy Chief Justice Dr.  John Gatwech Lul said judges are quitting the judiciary over poor working conditions and pay.

Dr. Gatwech told reporters after the closing of a two-day round table discussion between judiciary and stakeholders in Juba on Thursday that the country has currently less than 200 judges yet people who need justice are many.

“The number of judges is not enough. We have only a few judges in South Sudan. You can’t administer justice in the whole country with less than 200 judges and justices,” Gatwech told reporters on Thursday.

Gatwech disclosed a good number of judges left and continue to the judiciary for better pay.

“Some have ever gone away from the judiciary. They want to go and look for greener areas where they can have a better life because salaries are inadequate,” he said.

“You can’t imagine that the chief justice received a salary which is not more than 50 dollars and deputy chief justice has less than 50 dollars,” he added.

The deputy chief justice revealed that most judges do not have the means of transport to report to work.

“The facilities like building and court rooms are not enough. Transport for judges is also one of the problems and sometimes the clients complain of not finding the judges. If the judge has no car, how can he come to work?” he said.

“It is not our problem alone, it is the problem in the country, and even police officers are not adequately paid. It was recently when they decided that the salaries are to be increased by 100 percent but it seems it does not also solve the problem,” he added.