Plaintiff’s lawyer, Marko Reech, who represents the national staff, said the case has suffered repeated delays due to changes in the judiciary.
“Today we came for the session fixed for August 20. After waiting for a long time due to the reshuffling of judges, we were expecting a ruling,” Reech said.
The case was initially handled by Judge Francis Amum, who was later transferred to Upper Nile State, leaving Judge Peter Muzemel to take over.
“He [Judge Muzemel] had set August 29 as the ruling date. But unfortunately, according to his account, he forgot the file and did not complete it,” Reech explained. “He told us to return on Monday to see whether he has finalized the file.”
Reech expressed doubt about the fairness of the ruling, noting that the new judge did not handle the case from the beginning.
“The final judgment, we cannot predict whether it is going to be fair or not,” he said. “Procedurally, the one who has studied the file from the start to the end is more competent and fully aware of the facts and arguments presented.”
He added that the biggest concern now is UAP’s ongoing closure in South Sudan, which may complicate the case further.
“Our fear is that UAP is going to close, and the process has already started. Most offices have shut down, leaving only the management office. We don’t know whether they may leave today, tomorrow, or any time,” he said. “That is what worries us, not the file itself.”
In July, UAP Insurance South Sudan Ltd, a subsidiary of the Old Mutual Group in East Africa, announced that it would wind down operations in the country over a 24-month period. The company said the decision followed a “strategic review” that found market conditions untenable and highlighted the need for significant capital investment beyond its available resources.
Managing Director Japheth Omare Omwero confirmed that the company would continue serving existing policyholders until their insurance periods expire.
But according to lawyer Reech, the move amounts to dodging accountability.
“In our view, the company is trying to run away from its responsibility, especially the long-awaited judgment in favour of the dismissed national staff,” he said.
He revealed that on July 7, a complaint was filed under Sections 166 and 167 of the Civil Procedure Act to seek a temporary injunction preventing UAP from shutting down or conducting business that might affect the case.
