A 20-year-old woman was beaten to death by her father in Kuerbowni Payam of Guit County of Unity State on Tuesday evening.
County Commissioner Kawai Chany told Radio Tamazuj on Thursday that the incident happened at around 5pm, following a disagreement over a forced marriage arrangement.
The deceased was identified as Nyahok Wanbul Thore.
Her father had reportedly identified a suitor who was ready to pay the traditional dowry, as he demanded, but the deceased objected leading to her being beaten to death, Chany said.
The Commissioner disclosed that the killer father was arrested by local authorities and was awaiting prosecution.
“The security managed to arrest Wanbul Thore for killing his daughter, and he will be transferred to the Bentiu police headquarters for detention during the investigations,” Chany said.
Unity State civil society activist Thijin Yian condemned the killing.
“This is violence against a young woman for refusing to be forced into a marriage. The father of deceased should be tried before the mobile court goes back to Juba on August 22,” Yian said.
Many families in South Sudan forcibly marry off their daughters for dowry – including girls who are under the age of 18.
Some 52 per cent of South Sudanese girls are married by the time they are 18, according to a 2017 UNICEF study.
Article 15 of the South Sudan constitution stipulates that any person of marriageable age has the right to form a family and Article 17 guarantees women and girls the right to consent to marriage.