Background: Age and Justice
In South Sudan courtrooms, proving a victim’s age often decides rape verdicts, yet medical certificates now substitute for a missing nationwide registry.
The Medical Commission’s documents carry decisive weight, turning alleged forgeries or honest mistakes into potential acquittals for statutory offences.
Medical Gatekeepers under Pressure
Chief Medical Commissioner Dr. Lopuk Lopuk Lokole reports constant attempts by families and security personnel to tweak ages for courtroom advantage.
He insists on fingerprinting and physical presence, employing dental exams and X-rays, yet admits certificates issued post-crime are frequently disputed by judges.
Forensic dentist Dr. Joyce Scopes adopts closed-door protocols to block interference, saying, “After scientific assessment, I send findings straight to court police.”
Legal Fallout and Public Trust
Advocate Godfrey Victor Bulla recounts forged birth certificates surfacing in rape hearings, sometimes produced after the alleged incident, eroding prosecutorial credibility.
When a national ID proved fake during cross-examination, judges opened a separate forgery file, illustrating how document tampering multiplies criminal charges.
“Forgery doesn’t just distort the law; it destroys trust,” Bulla warns, noting that manipulated age evidence jeopardises victims and defendants alike.
Calls for Secure Civil Registration
Experts converge on a single remedy: a tamper-proof, digital civil registry with biometrics to anchor every future age claim.
Dr. Lokole argues such reform would “close loopholes exploited by criminal networks” and stabilise verdicts across the justice chain.
Until then, minors navigating assault trials face uncertainty, while courts wrestle with paperwork that can tilt lives in either direction.