‘Illegally’ dismissed Justices and judges reject conditional reinstatement

JUBA – The illegally justices and judges who were dismissed in 2017 by an order from President Salva Kiir Mayardit have rejected what they said is a conditional reinstatement back to their positions.

In 2017, President Salva Kiir dismissed around 13 judges after they downed their tools over working conditions as well as inadequate pay. This year, a regional court in Arusha, Tanzania, ruled that their dismissal was illegal and asked President Salva Kiir to reinstate them.

President Kiir apparently accepted the ruling and asked the minister of justice to reinstate them back. Last week, the justice ministry announced that justices and judges who were dismissed were told to apply for reinstatement.

In a statement, the former justice of the Court of Appeal, Geri Raymondo said they reject the condition to apply in order to be reinstated. He said none of them will apply because they shouldn’t be dismissed in the first place.

“I want to assure the citizen and the people of South Sudan that justices and judges who were removed unconstitutionally are not going to apply to the judiciary,” Justice Geri said.

“We are not seeking for a new job and the press release by our minister of justice. We consider him an incompetent authority to direct us. The only authority to direct us is the Judicial Service Commission and the leadership of the judiciary, through the director of Judges’ Affairs,” he added.