Greater Pibor Administrative Area – Yoyo James joined the national police service in 2012, just a year after South Sudan achieved the historic milestone of independence.
The First Lieutenant never imagined she would spend more than a decade wearing the uniform without ever receiving formal training in criminal investigations.
“I worked all these years relying on the experience and instructions from seniors,” she explains. “But when serious crimes happened, we did not always know the right procedures to follow.”
For decades, justice in the Greater Pibor area has largely depended on traditional systems, led by elders and chiefs, which can be effective in resolving minor disputes but is often overwhelmed when dealing with serious crimes, like child abduction and sexual violence. Many cases stall. Others are settled informally, leaving victims without protection or meaningful justice and perpetrators unaccountable.
That reality is slowly changing.
Sitting in a classroom in Pibor alongside 20 other female and 40 male officers, she began her first ever criminal investigation training, organized by the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).
“It is the first time since my deployment that someone explained to us, step by step, how to investigate a crime following legal frameworks and with respect for human rights,” she says.
She further explains that lack of investigative skills has often contributed to delayed justice, weak maintenance of case files, and court proceedings that unintentionally violated people’s rights.
“This training will help us close that gap. Now we understand how poor investigations can lead to wrongful arrests, delayed justice, or cases collapsing in court.”
Focused on both theory and practical skills, the training covered lawful investigations, protection of victims, accountability, and respect for human rights. Officers learned how to manage crime scenes, preserve evidence, document cases properly, and conduct interviews without coercion or abuse.
More importantly, Yoyo James says, it changed how she sees her role in the community.
“When investigations are done properly, the community benefits. Victims are protected, and the truth can be established,” she explains. “People will start trusting the police again.”
The training comes at a critical time for Greater Pibor, as authorities work to transition from a purely traditional justice system to a hybrid legal framework that blends customary practices with statutory law.
“For our people to feel justice, we must strengthen law enforcement agencies, their skills, their investigations and how they deal with crime,” says Greater Pibor Chief Administrator, Gola Boyoi Gola.
“When investigations are weak, the whole system fails. But when the police are trained, cases can move from arrest to prosecution properly.”
Support from the United Nations family and international donors has helped bridge long standing justice gaps, including the use of mobile courts, deployment of a permanent judge and public prosecutor, construction of a courthouse, and targeted training for police officers who are on the frontlines of the justice chain.
UNMISS training facilitator, Nicolae Iacob describes the initiative as part of broader support to strengthen the rule of law, improve accountability, and ensure victims, especially women and children, have access to justice.
For women like Yoyo James, the training also has a deeper meaning.
“As a woman officer, I now feel more confident handling cases involving women and children. I know how to protect their dignity and their rights.”
Officer also took part in practical simulations, applying what they had learned to realistic scenarios.
“This training will not end crime overnight. But it will help us do our work better and, when police do better, the community is safer.”
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By Mach Samuel
