The family of South Sudanese journalist John Gatluak Manguet, who was killed in the capital Juba in 2016, hadn’t been paid compensation by the government.
Last year, a military court sentenced 10 soldiers to prison for raping foreign aid workers and killing journalist John Gatluak in an attack on the Terrain Hotel. The court also ordered the government to compensate the victims.
The owner of the hotel was awarded $2.2 million. Gatluak's family was awarded 51 cows in compensation for his death. The court also ordered the government to pay each rape survivor $4,000 in compensation.
Gatluak's elder brother Gideon Gatdor Manguet told Radio Tamazuj that the family has not been given the promised compensation of 51 cows.
“We heard via media that the military court had ordered the government to give us 51 cows as compensation, but we have not received anything,” said Gatdor.
“I am waiting for the implementation of the peace agreement so that I raise my complaint officially,” he added.
The family member described as “unfair” the court decision to give them 51 cows as compensation. “Gatluak was not killed accidentally. He was targeted but I will raise my complaint later because there is no peace now,” he said.
“We were not present during the court proceedings. All of us are living outside the country, so the court did not involve us,” he added.
Lul Ruai Koang, spokesman of the army in Juba, confirmed the delayed payment of compensation. “The ministry of defense was supposed to pay the compensation but the process has delayed,” he said.
Lul added, “The government has accepted to pay the compensation, but it is a process and you know very well the government is facing financial problems. Also, the owner of the Terrain Hotel has not yet received his compensation.”
The Terrain Hotel attack occurred in Juba on July 11, 2016 as President Salva Kiir’s forces won a battle over opposition fighters loyal to former First Vice President Riek Machar.