The Torit High Court sitting in the border town of Nimule on Tuesday concluded the hearing of a case in which two suspects are charged with last month’s murder of a chief in the town and the judge is expected to make a ruling on Thursday.
On 11 July, the local community was holding a meeting in Nimule town to fundraise for the burial of the two youths who were slaughtered in Mugali when John Ebele, the chief of Nzara Boma in Nimule Payam was gunned down.
The murder of the chief created tensions in the border town with residents taking to the streets and blocking the highway prompting security forces to disperse the livid crowds.
Two suspects were apprehended for the shooting and subsequent death of the chief and they were detained at SSPDF military barracks.
Gama Hassan Oscars, an advocate working with an NGO which provides legal services, said the two unnamed accused persons both pleaded not guilty.
“The prosecution’s final presentation was heard today (Tuesday) and the court went further to frame charges against the two accused persons as follows; the first accused was charged for the offense of murder under two sections 72 (possession of dangerous weapons) and 206 (murder) of the Penal Code Act 2008 and he pleaded not guilty for the first charge of murder but pleaded guilty under sections 208 (attempted murder) and 72 respectively,” he explained.
“The second accused was charged under section 205 (committing trespass on burial places) and he pleaded not guilty,” he added.
Counsel Gama said the court heard from defense witnesses and the hearing of the case was closed and awaits a final verdict on Thursday 25 August.
HE appealed to the family of the deceased chief and the general public to remain calm, be patient and not lose hope as they await the final ruling.
Charles Onen Lokwaruk, the chairperson of the civil society network in Eastern Equatoria State, their position is that the law should take its course.
“We cannot continue to allow people to break the law. We want to see the government taking action on people who are involved in criminal activities, breaking the law and causing confusion in society,” he said. “In the same spirit, we would like to ask the government to carry out investigations into the killing of the two police officers in Nimule and the doctor who was killed so that the culprits are brought to book.”