Day: February 4, 2023

President Salva Kiir Mayardit on Friday pardoned 71 inmates who were serving different sentences.

In a decree read on the state-owned South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation (SSBC), Kiir pardoned 36 inmates on death row and 35 inmates who failed to pay compensations or fines.

He ordered prison authorities to execute the order accordingly.

No reasons were given by the head of state for the pardon but earlier in the day President Kiir received and met with the head of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis, Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, and the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Scotland Rev Iain Greenshields.

The inmates on death row who were pardoned are;

Paul Pitya Ladu

Moses Ohiti Lowa

Abrahman Marino Lawrence

Wilson Elias Mope

Serjina Wani Tombe

John Kute Okenyi

Juma Lorichok Loporinga

Fiden Frugonibe

Fortonaso Kisiano Naigba

Majak Gang Majak

Charles Otien Yaweri

Angu Awuoi Angui

Alfred Gabriel Tong

Martin Dak Othwol

Abdallah Sogar Ahmed

Cosmas Aiomani Mope

Gordon Mangar Nhial

Aguek Mou Aken

Cosmas Wala Jakibula

Moses Tongun Laku

Garbino Jagwer Nyambur

Joseph Lagu Gore

James Ladu Gabu

Francis Tongun Gabriel

Mudesir Khalifa Ismail

David Loro Wani

Amal Oporo Orwanaga

Martin Ohisa Kwato

Samuel Richard Zacharia

Simon Samuel Paka

Repent Ezbon Benjamin

Stephen Kenyi Erkima

Albino Lokoleng Lokobas

Joyce Simon Wani

Nakujet Amera Kangole

Santino Laku Marial

Inmates sentenced to pay fine or compensation

Andria Chol Lat

John Samuel Lojom

Wani Enisiose Erkanjelo

Nakoi Geoffrey Simon

John Lat Makoi

Ring Acuil Majok

Nyar Tong Yai

Comboni Atanasio

Sabri Khamis

James Ladu Wani

Nhial Mabior Nhial

Kazi Agustino Makario

Junag Nyapoth

Kaziwa Nyakiyoko

Philip Sebit Ladu

Garbino Deri Bero

Achol Garang Ayei

Kon Isaac Chol

Loki Anyei Ajik

Sabir Michael Bakhit

Sunday Alayim Majing

Martin Tong Majak

David Morris Pitia

Abdrahman Asaballah

Adut Deng Mayik

Flex Yogu Zachariah

Lobojo Simon Duku

Maturu Deng Mapor

George John Francis

Kaziwa Marol

Rehmus Wilson Thomas

Lingco Anguei Makur

Sunday Samuel Juma

Samuel Malong Biel

Dominic Arkanjelo

Source: Radio Tamazuj

Pope Francis during the second day of his ecumenical pilgrimage in Juba in South Sudan and while meeting the catholic clergy and lay workers at the St. Theresa Cathedral, asked them to be courageous, have generous souls, and be ready to die for Africa.

The Holy Father emphasized this while addressing bishops, priests, deacons, consecrated persons, seminarians, and lay pastoral workers on Saturday morning.

The pope recalled the great evangelization work carried out by Saint Daniel Comboni in South Sudan with his missionary brothers, and how he used to say “that a missionary must be ready to do anything for the sake of Christ and the Gospel.”

“We need courageous and generous souls ready to suffer and die for Africa,” the pope said.

The Pope thanked the clergy on the behalf of the entire Church for everything they do amid so many trials and tribulations, especially for their dedication, courage, sacrifices, and patience.

The Pontiff also recalled the remarks he made in his speech yesterday where he drew upon the image of the waters of the River Nile which flows through South Sudan. He said that in the Bible, water is often associated with God’s activity in creation, and cleanses and sanctifies.

The waters of that great river, the Pope lamented, collect “the sighs and sufferings of your communities, the pain of so many shattered lives, the tragedy of a people in flight, the sorrow and fear in the hearts and eyes of so many women and children.”

They also, he added, bring to mind the story of Moses, “a story of liberation and salvation.”

“Let us ask ourselves what it means for us to be ministers of God in a land scarred by war, hatred, violence, and poverty,” he counseled. “How can we exercise our ministry in this land, along the banks of a river bathed in so much innocent blood, among the tear-stained faces of the people entrusted to us?”

The Pope suggested the clergy reflect on two aspects of Moses’ character, namely his meekness, and intercession.

“Our first duty is not to be a Church that is perfectly organized, but a Church that, in the name of Christ, stands amid people’s troubled lives, a Church that is willing to dirty its hands for people,” he said.

This was the pope’s first engagement on the second day of his pilgrimage in South Sudan and he will later meet his Jesuit confreres, and internally displaced peoples, and participate in an ecumenical prayer gathering, later on in the day. The Pope will celebrate Mass for the nation’s faithful on Sunday morning.

The Holy Father is in South Sudan as a “pilgrim of peace,” where he is embarking upon a three-day ecumenical pilgrimage for peace, with the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Portal Welby, and Rt Rev Dr. Iain Greenshields, the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.

Source: Radio Tamazuj

The Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs on Thursday received nearly 20,000 laws and legal forms printed by Max Planck Foundation through funding from the European Union (EU).

Speaking during the handover at the justice ministry`s headquarters in Juba, Timo Olkkonen, the EU Ambassador to South Sudan, said printing of the laws and legal forms will increase access to legal resources for the people and the public institutions.

“The review, editing, and printing of a total of 19,878 key pieces of South Sudan national legislation and legal forms for the ministry of Justice is part of the EU`s and Max Planck Foundation’s ongoing engagement with the Ministry of Justice to enhance the availability of and access of important legal resources for the ministry’s staff and governmental institutions and the general public at large,” he said. “The importance of the legal forms in itself in terms of improving the access to justice for the people of South Sudan, I do hope that this will be a landmark occasion also in assisting the people of South Sudan to access the justice in case of need, and where there is a need.”

He said The Max Planck Foundation will continue working closely with the directorate of legislation and the Ministry of Justice to provide technical support for the publication and republication of additional legislation as requested by the Justice Ministry

On her part, Dr. Kathrin Maria Scherr, the Managing Director and Head of Sub-Saharan Africa Projects at the Max Planck Foundation for International Peace and the Rule of Law, said they were able to print and reprint laws and criminal forms ranging from key pieces of legislation such as the Penal Code Act, the Civil Registry Act, the Local Government Act, the Code of Evidence, Appeal Form, Summon to a witness, Summon to an accused person and Warrant of Arrest among others.

“The laws will provide officials, lawyers, judges, magistrates, and citizens across South Sudan with ready access to the applicable regulatory framework in South Sudan and will in turn go a long way in facilitating greater order and unity in the development and application of the law in South Sudan,” she said. “By publishing these laws, the ministry of justice can be seen leading by example. Having public and accessible laws allows the citizens of South Sudan to understand the regulatory framework applicable to them, provide for greater economic opportunity, ensure equality before and during the legal process, and bring force to the rule of law.”

Meanwhile, Justice Ruben Madol Arol, the justice minister, said it is the role and duty of his ministry to ensure that the laws that are enacted in South Sudan are made available to the citizens.

“They say ignorance of the law is not an excuse but if you do not have the law, you do not know where to get it, then ignorance of the law may be an excuse in a situation like that,” he said. “If we are to function as an institution, we have to have the laws available to our staff and I believe that now that we have these printed pieces of some of our laws and the legal forms, it will mark the beginning of the reforms in the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs.”

Source: Radio Tamazuj