A judge at a mobile court in Mundri West County of Western Equatoria State has sentenced two men Benjamin Sunday and Stephen Galiba to 15 and 5 years in prison respectively for murder.
One of the convict Benjamin Sunday who is sentence to 15 years in prison is required to pay the relative of the deceased five million South Sudanese Pounds as a compensation.
Judge Andrew Joshua Lado announced the verdict on Tuesday after the presiding in Mundri.
He added the court found Benjamin guilty of murder and therefore sentenced him to 15 years and pay a compensation to the family of the deceased.
“According to the South Sudan panel code act of 2008 the convict is to pay compensation to the relatives of the deceased amounting to five million South Sudanese pounds,” he added.
The court also sentenced Stephen Galiba Makaka to five years in prison and pay an amount of three million South Sudanese pound to the relatives of the deceased Johnathan as funeral expense and compensation.
In a related development, on Monday the presiding judge of the mobile court also sent a 16-year-old young man for two years in the juvenile reformatory center for sexually assaulting a 16 years old girl in Mundri.
Speaking to our reporter the mobile court judge, Andrew Joshua Lado said the teenager has committed an offence and he is liable to punishment according to section 205 of South Sudan Penal Code Act 2008.
“Michael David is to be sent to reformatory center for two years with effect from 18th, of April 2022 according to section 181 of child act 2008 read together with section 205 of the panel code act 2008, the convict must pay to the victim 400,000 South Sudanese pound as compensation. the payment will be made through a civil proceeding, judge Andrew mentioned.
He added the convict Michael David was involved sexually with a 16-year-old young girl and she became pregnant.
According to section 205 of South Sudan Panel Code it states; Any person who unlawfully takes or causes to be taken any unmarried girl under the age of sixteen years, out of the possession and against the will of her father or mother or other person having the lawful care or charge of her, shall be guilty of an offence and liable to imprisonment for two years.
And the South Sudan Child Act section 181 (1) states; Sentencing of a child shall be reasonable and proportionate to the circumstances and gravity of the offence as well as the circumstances and needs of the child. (2) Sentencing shall be non-custodial where possible and may include orders for any of the following reliefs in respect of a child against whom an offence is proved— (a) reconciliation; (b) compensation, restitution or fine; (c) apology; (d) caution; (e) a probation order; or (f) sending him or her to reformatory.
The mobile court in Mundri was opened last month with support from the United Nation Development Program to look at the backlog cases in the county since 2015.
