14 September 2013 - Mob justice is the wrong way to deliver justice, an UNMISS official said recently during a series of meetings held with residents of Kajo-Keji County in Central Equatoria State that ended today.

UNMISS Human Rights Officer Isaiah Lauro noted that communities must report suspects to law enforcement agencies for investigations and subsequent trials instead of taking the law into their own hands.

"Mobs give no chance for fair trial of victims," he said. "Punishments ... are not proportional to the crimes. Is killing a thief who has stolen a goat really fair?"

The meetings, which aimed to strengthen the local population's understanding of human rights and justice, were organized by UNMISS, in collaboration with the Kajo-Keji Human Rights Community Awareness Programme (KHRCAP), a community -based organization.

A total of 361 participants attended the workshops, which were held in five communities and covered a range of other topics including the mission's mandate, child rights and the scope and limitations of the UNMISS protection of civilians role.

Christopher Kenyi Piripiri, who is the head chief of Kangapo 1 town, attributed the phenomenon of mob justice to the inadequate capacity of the judicial system.

However, Kajo-Keji County Deputy Inspector of Police James Knonyo said the inability of law enforcers to administer justice does not justify a resort to mob justice.