By Kidega Livingstone
South Sudan Law Review Commission, the judiciary, and development partners have initiated a review and reform process for the Code of Criminal Procedure Act 2008.
The review is being facilitated through an “issue paper,” which is a key step in the law review process as outlined in the South Sudan Law Review Commission’s operational manual.
The primary purpose of the issue paper is to engage all stakeholders, inviting their opinions, views, and suggestions on the legal matter at hand.
Speaking during the opening of a three-day consultative workshop on the review, Changkuoth Beal Diaw, the Acting Chairperson of the South Sudan Law Review Commission said the goal was to make the legal system more relevant, effective, fair, and accessible.
Diaw stated that this review is the first step towards modernizing, clarifying, and simplifying the Code of Criminal Procedure Act 2008.
“The Commission’s main focus is to make the legal system relevant, effective, fair, and accessible by modernizing, clarifying, and simplifying the law. This is the first step taken so that we can gather the views and suggestions for the reform of the law in South Sudan,” Diaw said.
Monyluak Alor Kuol, a Commissioner for the South Sudan Law Review Commission, acknowledged expressed optimism that the ideas provided by legal experts will contribute to a better outcome.
“We want you to put it in a correct way that people cannot understand, which is why we are urging you to engage and participate so that our law brings us to the level where we are now,” Kuol said.
Samuel Wambogo, the United Nations Mission in South Sudan’s Rule of Law Representative stated that the country needs to add value to its laws to better serve its citizens.
“The Commission should come up with a better law, especially the drafting body of the law, and as United Nations, we are going to support you in all the processes so that you can be able to have a good law in the country,” Wambogo stated.
Echoing the sentiment, Catherine Waliaula, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Representative, stressed the importance of gathering the best views and recommendations to support the judiciary and ensure justice.
“Let us give the best views and recommendations so that we can get a better law to support justice, she said.