Law Reform (Review) Commission

Acting Chairperson:
Hon. Martinson Mathew Oturomoi

Profile of Acting Chairperson:
Hon. Martinson Mathew Oturomoi holds LLM, PG Dip in Vocational Legal Training, PG Dip in International Human Rights Law and CPE/PG Dip in Legal Studies from London. Furthermore, Hon. Oturomoi in Non- Legal Qualifications holds M. Ed in International Educational Management; University of Birmingham, and B. Ed (Arts), University of Juba.

Previously, he served as, Deputy Chief of Staff in Office of President of the Republic of South Sudan. Acting Under-Secretary in Office of President, Director General for Inter-governmental Relations, Ministry of Presidential Affairs, Chairman of Midlands Refugee Council (UK), Chairman of African Center for Human Rights and Legal Analysis (UK), Executive Director of Community Legal and General Services (UK), Coordinator, Horn of Africa Project (UK), Teaching Assistant, University of Juba, Local Government Administrative Officer, and Financial Clerk , Ministry of Public Service and Human Resource Development.

He was a Member of SPLM/NCP post Issues Negotiating Team,Member of the National Constitutional Review (2005). He also served as Member of Abyei Arbitration Team in The Hague.

Vision:

The Commission will work with the relevant government institutions and other non-state stakeholders with the aim of ensuring the existence of effective and just laws that guarantee equal access to justice, respect for the rule of law, human rights and fundamental freedoms.

Mission Statement:

To study and keep under constant review the laws of the Republic of South Sudan, with a view to promoting their systematic development, improvement, and reform.

Mandate:

The mandate of the Commission is to study and keep under review the laws of South Sudan with a view to making recommendations for their systematic improvement, development, modernization, and reform.

Functions:

South Sudan Law Reform (Review) Commission is duly established as an independent constitutional body by the provisions of Article 137 of the Transitional Constitution of South Sudan, 2011, to carry out, inter alia, the following:

• identifying anomalies in the law and recommending the repeal of obsolete or unnecessary laws;
• incorporating international human rights conventions to which South Sudan is a party into the laws of South Sudan;
• harmonizing the laws of South Sudan with the Bill of Rights in the Transitional Constitution of South Sudan (2011) or subsequent constitution replacing the same;
• bringing about uniformity in the law in force in the various parts of the Republic;
• properly codifying and simplifying branches of the law;
• examining problems of administration of justice and making proposals for reform, especially regarding access to justice by the poor, women, and other vulnerable groups; the independence of the judiciary; and the role of public prosecutors and lawyers;
• promoting gender-neutral legal writing; and
• promoting public participation in law reform through seminars, conferences, workshops, and lectures.

Structure:
The commission consists of the following departments:

• Department of Research and Drafting;
• Department of Law Revision and Public Consultations;
• Department of Law Awareness ;
• Department of Information, Documentation, and Publication ;
• Directorate of Finance and Administration.

Projects and Programs:

• In order to discharge the functions mentioned above, and in consultation with the Minister of Justice, the Commission shall, from time to time, draw up programmes listing in order of preference the matters which in its opinion require consideration. Such programmes shall include estimates of the finances and other resources that will be required for their implementation.
• The Commission’s programmes shall be subject to approval by the Council of Ministers.
• Any person or body is free to submit proposals for law reform to the Commission. In each case the Commission considers the merits of a proposal to determine whether the inclusion of a matter in the Commission’s programme is justified.
• The Commission may also include matters of its own accord in the programmes.

Publications and Documents:

• As soon as may be after the end of each year, the Commission shall make a comprehensive report of its activities during that year to the Council of Ministers for consideration.
• The report mentioned under sub-section (1) above, shall include, inter-alia:

a) any preliminary working papers published by it during that year;
b) any examination during that year of the legal system of a country other than South Sudan;
c) any draft legislation prepared by it in consultation with the Minister of Justice ;
d) any activities during that year of any working panel or advisory committee established by the Commission; and
e) the financial report incidental to the Commission’s activities covered in the report.

Contacts:

Mr. Changkuoth Beal Diaw
Ag/ Executive Director:
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Phone: +211955680261, +211928126371

Physical Address:

Kololo Road, opposite America Embassy