A High Court in the Jonglei State capital, Bor town, on Monday, sentenced a man to death by hanging after finding him guilty of stabbing his cousin to death a month ago. 

Last month, the convict Alier Madul Ajak, stabbed and killed his cousin brother with a spear following a misunderstanding at a family house in the Tibek neighborhood of the town. 

Speaking to Radio Tamazuj Monday, John Yel Aleu, the presiding judge, said: “Today, the court found Alier Madul Ajak guilty of the murder under Section 206 of the Penal Code Act. This was based on the evidence presented by the police, and also our investigation found the convict guilty of stabbing the deceased and then beat up on his head and then fled after seeing him dead.”

Yel, who also serves as the state High Court president, said the verdict has been forwarded to the Supreme Court in the national capital, Juba for confirmation, and that those not satisfied by the ruling have 15 days to appeal. 

“The unique thing about this murder case is that both the convict and the deceased families rejected blood compensation. They said they would want the convict dead when consulted by the court. So, now we will send the ruling to Juba for confirmation,” he said. 

The South Sudan Penal Code allows the use of the death penalty for murder; bearing false witness resulting in an innocent person’s execution or for fabricating such evidence or using as true evidence known to be false; terrorism (or banditry, insurgency or sabotage) resulting in death; aggravated drug trafficking; and treason.

Hanging is the method of execution provided for in the Code of Criminal Procedure. Before a person sentenced to death can be executed, the Supreme Court and the President must confirm the death sentence.