Two inmates spend 20 years on death row in Wau as lawyers call for judicial action

2026-03-16 - 12:17

WAU, South Sudan (Eye Radio) – Two inmates held at the Wau Central Prison have spent more than twenty years awaiting a final decision on their death sentences, raising serious concerns among lawyers and prison authorities about prolonged delays in the justice system. In the echoing halls of Wau Central Prison, a facility built in the 1950s to hold 200 souls but now straining under the weight of 1,072 inmates, two men are marking a grim anniversary. Issa Abdel Hamid Adam and Alfred Shier have spent more than two decades behind bars—not just serving time, but waiting for a final word on whether they will live or die. Their story is a harrowing look at the “human cost of prolonged legal uncertainty,” where the wheels of justice have seemingly ground to a halt between the high courts of Wau and the president’s office in Juba. Issa Abdel Hamid Adam, a Sudanese national, and Alfred Shier, a South Sudanese, were convicted in separate murder cases back in 2005. For Issa, court documents indicate his death sentence was handed down in 2007 following an accusation of killing two people in 2005. Since then, his life has been defined by a “simple calculation” that no human should have to make: twenty years of silence. While some members of the victims’ families in Issa’s case demanded blood compensation, others insisted on execution by hanging. Amidst this family divide, the legal system has left Issa in the dark. “I went to the prison to meet the defendant Issa, and they gave me the documents of the court,” says Mona Musa, Executive Director of the Women Alliance Lawyers. “We asked him if he appealed the verdict; he said he had appealed, but until now, he does not know the result.” Musa discovered Alfred Shier facing an identical fate during the same visit. “Both of them have spent about twenty years waiting for the verdict,” she noted. The wait is not merely psychological; it is physical. Musa raised grave concerns about the condition of inmates restrained for such vast periods. “Imagine someone who has been chained for twenty years and cannot walk or move properly,” Musa said. “Even if they are released, they may face serious health problems with their bones and muscles.” She emphasized that even for those sentenced to the ultimate penalty, the right to a final decision is a matter of basic humanity. “Twenty years in prison without knowing your fate is not a short period. Even if someone is sentenced to death, they should know their final decision.” The legal path for Issa and Alfred has reached a dead end in Wau. When Musa attempted to present their cases before the High Court in Wau, the request was rejected. “The High Court said it is not the competent court because these men were sentenced to death. The authority to decide such matters rests with the Supreme Court,” Musa explained. She is now preparing to transfer the files to Juba, noting that death penalty cases often get “stuck between the Supreme Court and the President’s office” while awaiting final endorsement or confirmation. Recent changes in the judiciary have only served to slow down the review of such files. The Director of Wau Central Prison, Major General Andria Marial, confirmed that the two men have been in custody for about twenty-two years. Their presence adds to the immense pressure on a facility that is currently at over five times its intended capacity. “Wau Central Prison was built in the 1950s with a capacity of only 200 prisoners, but currently we have about 940 inmates, excluding women and minors. The total number of prisoners is about 1,072,” Marial stated. While prison authorities have reached out to human rights organizations and United Nations delegations have visited the site, the status of Issa and Alfred remains unchanged. As lawyers continue to push for a national review, the two inmates remain at the mercy of a system that has kept them in leg irons and legal limbo for the better part of their adult lives. Their situation remains a stark reminder that in the search for justice, delay is often its own form of punishment.