The High Court in Aweil town of Northern Bahr el Ghazal State has announced that, Monday 30 May as the final ruling for the case of a five-year-old girl defiled and murdered in the area.

Early this month, authorities in Aweil arrested a Sudanese businessman identified as Saber Abdalla Abusam accused of defiling and killing Abuk Lual, a five-year-old girl in the Ayuang Residential Area.

Judges in Northern Bahr el Ghazal have on Thursday announced May 30, which is Monday next week as the final verdict in the defilement and murder case amidst calls for the implementation of a severe sentence.        

Two other people including Omer Mahmud and Ahmad Hassan were later arrested during the investigation process suspected to have concealed information about the incident.

But in the third hearing conducted on Wednesday, the court acquitted Mr Hassan after it discovered that, he was not involved in the defilement and murder case of the little girl.

In the fourth session presided over by Judge Majur Lat on Thursday, lawyers from both parties handed their final compliances awaiting final judgment.

Speaking to Radio Tamazuj shortly after the session Advocate Garang Akok, representing the deceased said their final submission included demands for a death sentence on the first accused.

“Today (Thursday) we have submitted the final submission as private interest defense against the accused and we hope that this criminal (Saber Abdalla Abusam) must face the toughest punishment,” Akok said.

He explained that the second accused Omer Mohammed Omer would face a 7-10 years jail term if found guilty of concealing the crime under article 140 of the South Sudan Penal Code Act of 2008, which prohibits crime concealment.

“But the second accused, Omer Mohammed Omer must be sentenced to jail for 10 to 7 years because he was accused under the article (140) of the South Sudan Penal Code which prohibits crime concealment,” Akok added.

Several Aweil residents have welcomed the announcement of a date for the final verdict and reiterated calls for the implementation of the death penalty to act as a warning to other offenders in the country.

“We hope an order of his hanging to death may come out on Monday and be implemented at Mathiang Square, we don’t want anything more than that because we including South Sudan, Sudan and the whole world are all upset,” said Achol Yuel, a resident in Aweil town.

Another citizen, Wieu Akeen has called for the immediate hanging of the first accused of the shameful killing of the little girl.

“He must be killed also because he claimed the life of the child, his life must also be claimed,” Akeen said.