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TITLE: SOUTH SUDAN / WAU GENERAL MARTIAL COURT
TRT: 02:29
SOURCE: UNMISS
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGES: ENGLISH / ARABIC / NATS
DATELINE: 08 JULY 2025, WAU, SOUTH SUDAN
1. Various shots, Musa in the court hall
2. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Musa Shaib Musa, Victim’s Father:
“I was initially afraid, but after their explanation and judgment, I felt very happy. In less than two weeks, justice was served, and as blood relatives, we are truly content. We need such courts to continue collaborating with the armed forces in Western Bahr el-Ghazal to resolve other cases like this without unnecessary delays.”
3. Various shots, judges
4. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) General Sten Kamilo Mboro, President, General Court Martial, South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF):
“The relationship between the military and civilians in Western Bahr El-Ghazal State has improved significantly. People now feel more confident to build trust with the army, especially following the events at the Martial General Court. Everyone has witnessed that anyone who commits a crime will face legal consequences.”
5. Various shots, people in the hall
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Anees Ahmed, Rule of Law and Security Institutions Support Office, United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS):
“UNMISS has worked very closely with the military of South Sudan to ensure that they prosecute its own personnel, who are involved in crimes against civilians and crimes against the population, most importantly, crimes concerning sexual and gender-based violence and conflict-related sexual violence. By doing this, we are ensuring that military justice civilian courts are prosecuting people for crimes committed against the people, and also that areas in the country where justice is either completely absent or minimal are served through these mobile Courts Martial or mobile (civilian) courts.”
7. Med shot, SSPDF standing
A General Court Martial, supported by the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF), concluded in Wau, Western Bahr el Ghazal, after investigating 34 cases and ruling on 20 of them. In total, nine members of the army were convicted and dismissed from military ranks.
Two court hearings included two significant incidents of sexual and gender-based violence, resulting in sentences of seven and ten years, respectively.
A notable precedent was set with a case involving multiple assailants and an underage survivor.
SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Musa Shaib Musa, Victim’s Father:
“I was initially afraid, but after their explanation and judgment, I felt very happy. In less than two weeks, justice was served, and as blood relatives, we are truly content. We need such courts to continue collaborating with the armed forces in Western Bahr el-Ghazal to resolve other cases like this without unnecessary delays.”
To support everyone subjected to different crimes, the court appointed two female judge-advocates and provided civilian legal counsel to assist them.
SOUNDBITE (Arabic) General Sten Kamilo Mboro, President, General Court Martial, South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF):
“The relationship between the military and civilians in Western Bahr El-Ghazal State has improved significantly. People now feel more confident to build trust with the army, especially following the events at the Martial General Court. Everyone has witnessed that anyone who commits a crime will face legal consequences.”
This Court Martial, funded by the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Juba, follows similar proceedings in 2022, with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) providing funding for psychosocial support to those who needed such assistance.
SOUNDBITE (English) Anees Ahmed, Rule of Law and Security Institutions Support Office, United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS):
“UNMISS has worked very closely with the military of South Sudan to ensure that they prosecute its own personnel, who are involved in crimes against civilians and crimes against the population, most importantly, crimes concerning sexual and gender-based violence and conflict-related sexual violence. By doing this, we are ensuring that military justice civilian courts are prosecuting people for crimes committed against the people, and also that areas in the country where justice is either completely absent or minimal are served through these mobile Courts Martial or mobile (civilian) courts.”
The UN peacekeeping mission is currently supporting the activities of a mobile court in Pibor, scheduled to be finalized by the end of July.
