Court acquits Ethiopian national of murder charges in Juba

(Radio Tamazuj) The South Sudan Mobile Court sitting within Juba Main Prison Service on Friday freed an Ethiopian foreign national accused of killing a South Sudanese citizen.

Mobarato Musani, the Ethiopian national was arrested and jailed since April this year after the wife of the deceased brought a charge under section 206 of the South Sudan Penal Code 2008 for allegedly killing her husband while they were traveling to Boma State capital Pibor.

Mobarato’s defense Lawyer, Baptista Andrew Soka told Radio Tamazuj that his client, Mobarato, a driver of a truck hired by an organization to transport goods to Boma State was driving along with the deceased and others. 

Unfortunately, his truck developed a mechanical problem on the way and the deceased started complaining that he did not have his diabetes medicines.

He said Mobarato then requested other drivers to take the deceased to Pibor so he could get medicine. However, while in Boma, they could not get the needed drugs forcing them to start traveling back to Juba. But he died before reaching Juba. His body was then taken to the hospital for examination.

Andrew added that medical reports from Juba Teaching Hospital indicate that the cause of death was diabetes contrary to earlier claims.

Andrew who is a member of the Justice and Human Right Observatory JAHRO, a human rights organization said the court acquitted Mobarato of the charges adding that it is their role to assist those who cannot afford legal services across the country regardless of their nationalities.