SSPDF soldier beats wife to death in Eastern Equatoria

TORIT – A South Sudan People’s Defense Force (SSPDF) soldier has been taken into custody after allegedly beating his wife to death at a military barrack in Torit, the capital of South Sudan’s Eastern Equatoria State.

The soldier, identified as German Tito, was under the influence of alcohol when he attacked his wife, according to Brigadier General Marino Oholong, the brigade commander. The incident occurred on Wednesday evening.

Earlier this week, another SSPDF soldier was arrested for fatally shooting a 15-year-old pupil in Ikwoto County, which also falls in Eastern Equatoria State.

In an interview with Sudans Post, Brigadier General Oholong described how the soldier’s altercation with his two wives escalated into violence, ultimately leading to the death of one of them. The suspected soldier is currently in custody at Division 7 Main Barracks.

“The soldier fought with his wife at 8 PM, but they were separated. Later, he returned and beat his wife again. She fled to a neighbor’s house and died. He didn’t realize he had killed her. He was drunk, and I’m sure he killed her around 12 AM,” Oholong explained.

“He beat her with a stick. We arrested him, and he’s currently in our detention. The soldier’s name is German Tito, and the woman he killed is called Anguat. She was likely in her 40s,” he added.

Mustafa Albino Zacharia, the mayor of Torit Municipal Council, confirmed the incident and described it as a serious offense that should be punished by law. He said the suspected soldier was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crime.

“This soldier killed his wife. We thought he shot her with a gun, but when we investigated, we found out he beat her with a stick. He beat both of his wives, and one of them died. This case is very serious,” he said.

“He was really drunk, and he can’t even remember what he did. We took him to the police, but his colleagues from his unit came and took him away. However, this is a criminal case, and we will bring him to court,” he added.

Davidika Ika, chairperson of the Eastern Equatoria State Women’s Association, condemned the act and called on the government to investigate and hold the perpetrator accountable.

“This issue is very dangerous. This is a criminal case, and justice needs to be served. He shouldn’t just be left like that. I wonder if he is the same man who killed the son and buried him alive in Shirkat. If he is, he needs to be properly investigated,” he said.

“I strongly condemn the killing of a wife. This is a woman, and she has nothing in her hands. It’s unfortunate that we lost one of our women. Marriage doesn’t mean that we should end up killing each other. There should be dialogue between married couples when there are issues in the house,” he added.