Bentiu Court Deployment Ends With 79 Detainees Released

UNMISS figures show 20 criminal cases decided and more than 70 matters remaining for investigation or trial.

BENTIU — A Unity State High Court deployment at the Bentiu internally displaced persons camp concluded on 28 September after adjudicating 20 criminal cases since proceedings began on 7 September, according to a UNMISS statement reported by Radio Tamazuj.

The 20 decided cases resulted in 17 individuals convicted and 14 acquitted or having cases dismissed. These are counts of people and cases respectively and should not be treated as contradictory totals.

Daily detention inspections by a Unity State government task force resulted in 67 releases, UNMISS said. A further 12 people were released during court proceedings, bringing the total to 79. The statement does not provide individual release orders, charges or the length of detention for each person.

What happens to the remaining cases?

The High Court is expected to continue hearing cases from its permanent location in Bentiu. More than 70 matters reported during the camp deployment were identified for investigation and trial. The camp accommodates more than 100,000 displaced people, making regular access to formal justice especially important.

South Sudan Press is seeking the case register, release orders and information on legal representation, interpretation, the number of children involved, and the timetable for the remaining cases. Follow-up should also establish whether detention authorities complied promptly with each order.