Army officer kills man over 1-cow dowry in Northern Bahr el Ghazal

JUBA – A South Sudan army officer has killed a man in Northern Bahr el Ghazal’s Aweil East County over delayment of a one-cow dowry, before handing over himself to the army’s Third Infantry Division in Wunyiik, authorities said.

Atak Thiel, a Sergeant Major in the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) went on Thursday to his brother in-law supposedly to collect a one-cow dowry that was promised to him, but he later didn’t pay the cow resulting in the officer shooting him three times, two in the head and one in the chest, according to the police.

“What happened on Thursday evening around 6:30 pm in the village of Uyon in Baac Payam in Aweil East County was that a Sergeant Major belonging to the SSPDF, Atak Thiel, came to his brother- in-law’s house and shot him three times. Two bullets in the head and one in the chest and he died immediately,’’ police spokesman in Northern Bahr el Ghazal state, Captain Guot Guot Akol, is quoted by Radio Tamazuj as saying.

The police spokesman further said the culprit went ahead to the 3^rd Infantry Division Headquarters in Wunyiik to handover himself following the killing.

“He went and handed himself over to the SSPDF Division 3 headquarters in Wunyiik. According to the information, they were disputing over dowry cattle. Of course, the deceased, Bol Marol Yak, is a spouse to Atak Theil’s sister,” Capt. Guot added.

“Atak was promised one cow by his brother-in-law but the in-law sold that cow and the promise was dishonored. So, from there the dispute emerged and caused the killing. That was what happened,’’ he added.

For his part, the Executive Director in Aweil East County, Peter Majok Kuot, confirmed the incident and what happened is related to traditional norms because the army soldier requested for a cow to support himself from the deceased who did not provide it.

“What happened in Uyon, the soldier Atak Thiel killed his in-law Bol Marol based on traditional norms because he was requesting one cow from the deceased relative to rescue his children from hunger. The in-law bought one cow and sold it, so he said I will kill him since my children are starving and he refuses to give me one cow,’’ Majok said.