A new mobile court has been launched in a remote part of Northern Bahr el Ghazal State, South Sudan, in an effort to make justice more accessible to local communities.
The circuit court, established in Nyamlell in Aweil West County, is a joint initiative by the state’s judiciary and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Officials said it aims to address the long-standing challenge faced by residents who must often travel long distances to the state capital, Aweil, for legal services.
The court’s president, Joshua Ladu Santo, told Radio Tamazuj after the launch on Wednesday that the move was about “taking justice to the people in their counties.”
He urged local communities with cases to come forward, adding that the mobile court would operate at the county level for one month.
Local authorities welcomed the development.
Aweil West County Commissioner Abuol Akol described it as “testimony to bringing legal services to the local community.”
The initiative is part of broader rule of law projects supported by the UNDP, focusing on expanding judicial outreach and improving public confidence in justice institutions.
Residents expressed hope that the court would ease the financial and logistical burdens of seeking justice.
John Dut, a community member, noted that many people had previously spent scarce resources travelling to Aweil town for court hearings.
The UNDP acknowledged the collaboration of local authorities and judicial officers in making the deployment possible.