By Peter Kuol Kuch
The Mobile Court supported by United Nations Development Programme UNDP which presides courts cases at Bor Prison has released more than 57 inmates with minor cases early this week.
According to UNDP, most of the inmates released were sentenced by Bench Court in Bor town.
Speaking to No. One Citizen Daily Newspaper, Wilfred Gitara, the UNDP Rule of law officer, implementing access to justice, Human rights and security strengthening Project in Jonglei State stressed that the most released inmates were charged for drugs addiction among other minor cases.
“ Mostly those are people who were sentenced because of minor cases such drugs/substance abuse and those perhaps causing public discords that were released. But those with high file cases have remained serving their terms of imprisonment, yeah, so that what happened.’’ Welfred said.
Mr. Welfred emphasized that the prison was hosting over 400 inmates, however the release of 57 minors is an instrumental step to decongest the detention facility.
Mr. Gitara added that the high profile cases with long term imprisonment have remained in the prison while serving their term of imprisonment.
He stressed the United Nations development programme UNDP works closely with the Mobile Court in Bor Prison to Make sure that the minor cases are handled on time in order to decongest the prison and make it conducive for the inmates.
“Before mobile court intervened, the prison was so congested but when the court came in, we were able to release minors with minor cases. Now it’s created a space within the prison. Meanwhile, these minors are released with the consent of their parents. That’s what the Court is doing.’’ He said.
Welfred stated that the UNDP is engaging some relevant Partners to continue empowering the Juveniles who have been released from the prison with some self-reliance activities that would help engage them outside prison.
Last month, Jonglei State government in Partnership UNDP and UNMISS launched a mobile court to speed up judicial process across Jonglei State. The Mobile court was set up with the aim to decongest the detention facilities and to further legal services to the people of Jonglei state in the most remote counties.
According to UNDP, the Court consists of four judges, four prosecutors, and six defense team among others.
Attempt to reach Mobile Court Defense team were unsuccessful.