The high court in Juba presided over by Justice Duoth Kulang, today dropped murder charges against Alice Noel, the mother of the principal accused, Babu Emmanuel Lokiri, in the case of the murder of three juvenile sisters in August.
Justice Duoth Kulang told the principal accused, Babu Emmanuel Lokiri, “After all the investigations and charges we have brought against you after all this time, we have found out and decided that your mother will no longer appear with you as the co-accused in this court. We have seen her suffering and we need only you. The case against her is dismissed.”
“The court now states to you that on the 1st August 2020 you went armed with a knife to a home in the Rock City area and killed the three girls namely Lydia Edward, 9, Blessing Edward, 7, and 4-year-old sister Nura Edward. And they died on the spot,” the judge added.
Asked if he understood what the judge had told him, the accused replied in the affirmative. Asked if he killed the children, the accused, Emmanuel Babu Lokiri said, “No, I did not.”
“The second accused was just shocked. They said she washed bloodstained clothes but she clearly said under oath that she did not wash any bloodstained shirt. So that is why she was released by the court,” said Simon Akeny, the lawyer of the acquitted.
The defense lawyer Simon Akeny said their client, Babu Emmanuel, was not at the scene of the crime at the time, did not carry out the murders, and insisted they will present evidence to the effect that he was at home. The defendant’s lawyers said they will present three witnesses before the court to prove their client was at home.
“We have no problem with the court and will present our witnesses in the next hearing on Monday to prove that the accused was not present when the killing took place and he was not even present at the scene of the crime,” according to Simon Akeny. “He was at home and this will show the court that the accused has no connection with this case.”
“We have three witnesses. The sister, Holy Emmanuel who was present at home, Emmanuel Lokiri, the father of the accused, and Chaplain Nyarsuk, an uncle of the accused who is a Prison Officer. You will all come and see and hear from them on that day,” defense lawyer Akeny said.
Kur Lual, the lawyer of the murdered children’s family, said he had no issue with the acquittal of the second accused, Alice Noel.
Boutros Yai, the counsel for public rights at the ministry of justice, said the hearing today was the cross-examination of the two accused. He further said the court has decided to proceed with the first accused as a principal suspect and acquitted the second accused, Alice Noel. “She has been released from all charges in front of the court,” Boutros Yai said.
The judge adjourned the case to next Monday 19th October 2020.