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FILE: Hon. Emmanuel Taban Seme, Yei River County Commissioner at the International Deaf Day event in Yei, September 27, 2024. (Courtesy of the Commissioner’s Office) Yei, South Sudan (Eye Radio) — Yei River County Commissioner Emmanuel Taban Seme has confirmed that a newly appointed resident judge will arrive next week to immediately tackle the massive case backlog and relieve pressure on the county’s overcrowded prison. Speaking to Eye Radio on Thursday, October 30, Commissioner Taban explained that this “judicial vacuum” arose after the previous judge was recalled to Juba due to health issues, adding that the delay in justice delivery has compounded the strain on an already struggling prison system. According to Taban, the absence of a resident judge in Yei River County has led to a critical backlog of cases, resulting in overcrowded prisons and detainees languishing in remand for months without trial. “What we have been lacking is only the judge,” Taban said, warning that justice delivery remains paralysed until a new appointment takes effect. In a major development offering relief, Commissioner Taban confirmed that the county has received assurance from Juba that a new judge has been appointed to Yei. “We are expecting him to come in at least by next week,” the Commissioner stated. This arrival is seen as urgent, as Yei is gradually returning to stability, leading more residents to seek legal redress and highlighting the critical need to strengthen the justice system. Commissioner Taban pointed out that the judicial gap is not the only challenge, but severe infrastructural and operational issues. He stated that the prison is overcrowding, with the growing number of remand detainees—who should have already been tried—contributing significantly to the issue. Commissioner Taban stated that the facility also faces problems with food supply for inmates. Financial constraints are causing struggling suppliers to delay and, at times, fail to deliver. On inadequate facilities, while Yei recently received a new Public Prosecutor’s Office with support from development partners, the police station remains too small, and both the station and the prison facilities urgently require rehabilitation and expansion. Local authorities are now appealing for continued support from the government and development partners to fully restore judicial operations. They emphasize that access to justice and proper prison management are essential pillars for maintaining peace and stability in Yei River County.
