A delegation of Rumbek Youth Union met with the legislative assembly speaker to discuss Lakes state customary law and its heavy penalties.
Makuei Meen headed the youth delegation to the assembly. He told the press the visit meant to iron out with the speaker one of the most burning issues in the Lakes State customary Law that has landed eight youths in the prison for a period of ten years, Good News Radio reported.Mr. Meen said the Lakes state customary law seems to be in conflict with the 1984 Customary Law which is lenient in terms of penalties in case of impregnating a girl.
Speaker John Marik Makur told the youth that the customary law of Lakes State was made in compliance with the culture in the state.
Mr. Marik added that the customary law does not consider a girl to be underage if she menstruated but it punishes rape.
Justice Geri Raimondo Legge, the president of the Lakes state High Court, said the courts in the state were applying both the customary law and the penal code which in his own view contradict each other especially on penalties for rape offenses.
Lakes State Customary Law was passed in September and it has come under serious criticism from the youth across the state due to the heavy penalties it applies.