Juba, South Sudan, May 20th, 2021 – The Special Court on Sherikat incident has issued a verdict sentencing two people to death by hanging and charged one other with a fine for their role in instigating a skirmish the left six people dead and many others wounded in 2020.
In June 20202, Lual Akok Wol Kiir (pictured), who was believed to be related to President Salva Kiir and known for grabbing land with impunity, initiated a land-grabbing scene that turned violent.
Akok is said to have caused alteration over the land issue in the area until his bodyguards opened fire on the crowd, leaving six people dead on spot including a woman. Akok himself sustained and succumbed to deadly injuries before he was disowned by the president’s office.
According to a reliable source, the Presiding Judge of Sherikat Special Court, Justice Duoth Kulang Bichiok has on Wednesday ruled and sentenced two convicts directly linked to the incident to death by hanging and charged another convict with a fine worth SSP 500,000.
“The criminal case No. 1296/2020 was brought before this court by the police prosecution/attorney against the accused persons of group B with charges of a joint act under sections 48/52/53/6279/81/83/177/206/305/315 of the Penal Code Act, 2008,” Duoth wrote in his ruling.
He said according to sections 224/247 of the Criminal Procedure Act 2008, the court heard the prosecution and defense cases and found that the accused persons guilty and should be convicted under sections 48/72/79/80/206 of the Penal Code Act 2008 and that sentences should be passed against them jointly or separately.
“We do hereby order that convicted persons should be hanged by their necks until they are dead under sections 48/206 of the Penal Code Act 2008 and they are as follows; 1. Ajith Jok Yor and 2. Malith Yuol Deng,” Justice Duoth ruled.
“Convict Mayen Dau Deng should be fined SSP 500,000. In default of payment, he is to serve five (5) years imprisonment with effect from the date of arrest on 17 June 2020 under sections 48/79 of the Penal Code Act 2008,” it continues.
The court also ruled that the Group B case paper be sent to the Supreme Court for confirmation after 15 days and said the parties in the case have a right to appeal within 15 days from the date of judgment.
