30 children jailed in Juba for years without trial

[Elisabeth Janaina]

30 children jailed in Juba for years without trial
Magdoline Joseph | October 13, 2016 | 2:37 pm
detained

The National Prison Service says some 30 children have been held at
the Juba Prison without trial for years now for allegedly committing
various crimes.

The Director General of the National Prison Service says some of the
children have been in the prison for eight years without a trial; most
of them are now between 12 and 18 years.

Gen Hillary Kuany Aguer told Eye Radio that the cases are still being
investigated by the police.

But he said that a person is supposed to be held for a day and then
taken to court by the police.

“These small ones, those who are under age are in prison. They are
brought in with their competent warrants for the crimes they have done
and they can also overstay in prison without being investigated or
convicted,” Gen Hillary says.

“So we have juveniles in prison now. It’s also another category. The
juveniles are about 30 in Juba prison and the crime they committed was
done while he was a juvenile and the trial will be under the section
of juveniles,” he explained.

General Kuany says the children are among more than 1,000 inmates who
are staying in prison without a trial.
He says the National Prison Service only plays a role of custody but
does not investigate cases; the plan now is to open a Reformatory
School for children who are in jail.

In June this year, judges went on strike over pay and administrative
issues that they said were delaying the delivery of justice. But when
contacted by Eye Radio at the time, the Chief Justice declined to
comment.