The family of the late Brigadier General Marko Chol Akuei of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLM-IO) who was killed over a land dispute on 9 May in Jur River County in Western Bahr el Ghazal State are calling for justice.
The senior officer was killed during an exchange of fire between a group of youth from Roc-Roc Dong Payam after they clashed over a piece of land in an area called Agor East of Roc-Roc Dong Payam headquarters.
Following the incident, four suspects were arrested and jailed at Wau Central Prison awaiting trial which is scheduled to take place this month. Expressing worry over the delay in the trial of the suspects, the brother of the deceased described the delay as an obstruction to justice.
James Majok Lual Chol called on the government and civil society to intervene although there is an ongoing local community dialogue over there matter.
“My name is James Majok Lual Chol from the clan of the late Marko Chol Akuei who was killed on 9 May 2024. Since the late was killed, the suspect reported to the police station in Wau and was immediately transferred to Wau Central Prison,” he said. “We opened a court case after we buried the deceased and the investigator announced that the court hearing will be on 26 June. However, after the announcement, Luo community chiefs across the state, particularly from Jur River County, met us the family and they told us that they needed a solution before approaching the court.”
“Five days after the incident, we were surprised that the main suspect identified as Angok said that he was not the one who killed the deceased but a different person from the same clan,” Majok added.
He revealed that they told the Luo chiefs that if the main suspect denied involvement in the killing, then the issue could not be resolved at the family level but by court.
“If the suspect would have admitted as the eyewitness are saying he committed the crime, the family would have accepted dialogue,” he stated. “I am now calling on the state government and civil society to intervene.”
Meanwhile, the wife of the deceased echoed the call for the government to intervene.
“My name is Ayu Mawein and we have come to send our voices to the government asking for a solution. The suspect who killed my husband is Angok but upon arrival in the prison, his statement changed after five days yet we saw him shooting Brig. Marko and this is why we are asking the government to come in.”
For his part, the Western Bahr el Ghazal State coordinator for the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), Stephen Robo Musa, called on the two clans to reach an amicable solution as the local chiefs have intervened.
“We are really disappointed with the incident that happened between the two communities that led to the loss of life of one community member in Roc-Roc Dong because of a dispute that was supposed to be handled simply. As an organization, we condemn such acts of violence as a solution to any disagreement and call for peaceful dialogue. We know that there is ongoing dialogue involving the two clans and we urge the two communities to reach an amicable solution,” he said. “Let the families first understand that in such cases there is always the supreme law of the land that is responsible and must take its course after which any alternative will follow. I am urging the two sides to respect the law and wait for court procedures and give the elders time to sit down and come up with an amicable solution because no one is above the law.”