Ambrose Achuil Garang
A court in South Sudan has sentenced an army general to five years in court for rape.
On Wednesday, the Wanjok Court in Aweil East County of Northern Bahr el Ghazal state found Brigadier General Liai Wol, 55 years, guilty of raping a 13-year-old girl in August 2021.
Judge Mathiang Kuach Mathiang, the head of Wanjok County court also ordered Wol to pay the family of the girl five cows and a cash fine of 100,000 South Sudanese Pounds.
He will serve his sentence at the SSPDF 3rd Infantry division headquarters in Northern Bahr el Ghazal state.
The court ruling was announced by on Wednesday this week.
The victim’s lawyer, Akook Ariath told Juba Echo he wasn’t very satisfied with the verdict.
Ariath said anyone convicted of rape ought to serve 14 years by law.
“We are not happy with the court ruling although it is somehow favoring the victim of the rape,” Ariath said.
“In the constitution, a rapist should serve 14 years in prison but the court has sentenced him to five years in prison which I think is not okay, but we have respected the court decision,” he said.
“Again, his detention in the military barracks is not okay, he should be brought to the main prison.”
Madut Santino Deng, the defense lawyer refuted the court ruling and said his client would appeal the sentence.
“This is what the court has ruled but as for me as a defense lawyer of the accused, I think it is not fair and I will appeal the case within 14 days which is rightful in the law,” Deng told Juba Echo.
