By Kidega Livingstone
The South Sudan Law Reform Commission and a team of legal experts have completed the initial review of the 2008 Criminal Procedure Act.
During the review, the commission and the stakeholders, which included members of the South Sudan Bar Association and the military justice system, gathered input and recommendations from various legal experts.
The goal was to identify necessary updates and amendments to the existing Act before it is taken up for enactment in the parliament.
Speaking to journalists at the end of the three-day review, Monyluak Alor Kuol, the Chairperson of the Law Reform Commission and a Commissioner of Oaths, emphasized the importance of the review process.
“There was a need for us to sit down with members of the stakeholders so that we could review if there was a need for additional issues under the Criminal Procedure Act 2008,” he said.
Advocate Bullen Isaiah Kulang, a member of the South Sudan Bar Association, welcomed the timely review, noting that many existing Acts in the country are not sufficiently aligned with the constitution.
“The review of the Act is timely, and it required all the contributions from all the legal experts in the country before being taken to the parliament,” he said.
Similarly, Lt. Col. Gabriel Chok, a Judge and Advocate for Military Justice, acknowledged that some issues in the Criminal Procedure Act need to be edited and require a collective responsibility.
“Some of the issues are allied with tradition and social norms, which should be made clear depending on the current situation,” he added.
The Law Reform Commission is now set to consolidate the feedback and recommendations gathered during the review process.
They will then present the revised draft to the Cabinet and the Parliament for the final enactment of the amended Criminal Procedure Act.