A military court in the capital Juba has sentenced to death two men found guilty of killing a university lecturer earlier this year.

Bol Chol, a law lecturer at the University of Juba, was shot dead on his way home near a police post at Kubri Haboba in January 2020.

The first and second accused persons are Sergeant John Makur Mabior and Private Mathiang Ater Makuei respectively. Sergeant Makur reportedly escaped from prison.

“Having considered the evidence in regard to the defense case and the state of mind of the first accused at the time of the incident, the court finds the actions of the first accused were deliberate and calculated,” General Marshal Stephen Bababen, the President of the General Court Martial said while reading out the verdict on Friday.

He added, “The court also carefully considered the defense of the second accused. The court noted that the second accused admits being present at the crime scene at the time the deceased was shot”.

Bababen said Ater Makuei conspired with Makur Mabior to kill Bol Chol.

“The court finds that the act of the second accused was a conspiracy with the first accused,” he added.

In Friday’s verdict, Mabior was demoted from Sergeant in the military to Private, deprived of post-retirement pension and sentenced to death by firing squad when apprehended, while Makuei was dismissed from South Sudan Police Service active list, deprived of post-retirement pension and also sentenced to death by firing squad.

Meanwhile, the court sentenced Arop Ater Marial, who is the wife to the first convict, to three years in jail with effect from January 28, the day she was arrested for concealing her husband.