Commercial trucks convoy from Uganda. - Courtesy

A Juba court has convicted three traders and imposed fines for smuggling goods into the country earlier this year.

The mobile court, established by the Judiciary at Juba Central Prison, acted after the South Sudan National Bureau of Standards’ seizure of the trucks on January 11, 2024.

In a statement issued on Monday, August 19, 2024, the Bureau confirmed that the court ruled in its favour on August 5.

Each trader has been fined under Section 195 of the South Sudan Customs Law of 2013, with a six-month imprisonment term imposed for non-payment, effective from August 5, 2024.

Gloria Nyoka Joseph, Executive Director of the Bureau stated on the Dawn show on Tuesday, August 20, 2024, that the traders violated institutional procedures.

She praised the collaborative efforts of various governmental institutions in concluding the case.

“The traders failed to follow required inspection procedures, which led to their case,” Gloria explained. “The goods entered Juba without proper customs inspections, prompting us to open a case with our legal team and involve the police.”

Gloria emphasized that the Bureau remains committed to enforcing the law and protecting consumers from unregulated and potentially harmful products.

She advised traders to comply with national regulations to avoid legal issues.

“For any product brought into South Sudan, it must meet specific standards. We also conduct pre-verification in the country of origin through a third party contracted by the government under the Bureau of Standards,” Gloria said.