The High Court in Juba has convicted a national security officer who shot and killed his wife and another man in June at the Bedouin Hotel.
During the hearing on Monday, High Court Judge Alexander Sabor said the court found Bobby Longar Akok guilty of murder under Section 206 of South Sudan`s Penal Code Act 2008.
“This court reached a conclusion that the accused has not benefited from any of the defenses mentioned in Section 210 Penal Code Act 2008 and I found the accused guilty and convict him of murder under section 206 penal Code Act 2008,” he said.
“Court Order, the accused Bobby Longar Akok is guilty and convicted of murder under section 206 Penal Code 2008 given under my hand this day 19th December 2022,” said Judge Sabor.
In June, Bobby Longar, a National Security Officer shot dead his wife and her presumed lover as they were reportedly caught while spending time at the Bedouin Hotel in Juba.
During the Court Verdict, the Judge said witnesses produced evidence that affirms that the accused Bobby Longar Akok shot his wife Rebecca Anyon Kot, and her alleged boyfriend Akec Atak Madut five bullets each killing them on the spot.
However, Judge Sabor adjourned the sentencing of Longar and gave the families of the victims time to agree on whether the murderer will face jail time, death, or compensation.
The next court session is scheduled for 23rd December when the sentence will be announced.
Reacting to the court verdict, Advocate Tong John Clement, representing Rebecca Anyon Kot, the first victim welcomed the court verdict saying the killing was inhumane.
“The judgment was positive and expected due to the fact that the killing was inhumane, degrading beyond any evil thing anyone can do to a human being like him or her. The judgment came in time, the family had been waiting, and today they have heard the judgment in which the accused was sentenced,” he said.
“The only thing that is remaining now is for the two families to decide the fate of the accused in which whether he should be hanged or they are going to forgive him or they want compensation. These are the options that the law gives to the family of the victim,” Advocate John concluded.
When contacted by phone for comment, Kiir Chol, the defense lawyer disagreed with the court’s verdict.
“We disagree with the judge on his finding that the accused is not entitled to the defense of legal provocation and indeed he (the Judge) agreed with us that the accused is entitled to the defense of the legal provocation but again he says he cannot benefit from that defense because he shot the deceased several times,” he argued.
He adds, “To us we are saying in law if you commit an offense as a result of losing or after you lost self-control as a result of great provocation you are entitled to that defense and as a result you cannot be charged under the matter. You could be charged of a manslaughter and this is our position that the accused is entitled to legal defense of cumulative provocation under section 210 paragraph 2 of our Penal Code.”
According to Chol, the accused should be charged of manslaughter under Section 210 (2) and not murder under Section 206 whose sentence is death.
https://www.radiotamazuj.org/en/news/article/police-investigate-killing-of-man-woman-in-juba