AWEIL — A 50-year-old woman has died after sustaining a fatal head injury while attempting to stop a fight between two women over an 8,000 South Sudanese Pound (SSP) debt in Aweil Town, Northern Bahr El Ghazal State.
The incident occurred on Monday in the Apada residential area.
The deceased, identified as Akuol Malual, was reportedly attempting to separate 30-year-old Amou Akok Deng and Akuol Nhial when their disagreement over the unpaid debt escalated into a physical confrontation.
Madut Ngong Aleu, Northern Bahr El Ghazal state police spokesperson, told this publication on Tuesday that the deceased was trying to diffuse the tension when she was injured during the confrontation.
“What occurred on Monday is something surprising. A 50-year-old woman identified as Akuol Malual was knocked down and sustained fatal internal head injuries while trying to intervene in a dispute between two women. One of the women, Amou Akok Deng, was demanding payment of a debt owed to Akuol Nhial, which had remained unpaid for some time,” Ngong explained.
He said the fight broke out after one of the women, who was demanding payment of a debt, allegedly forcibly took loaves of bread from the other woman, triggering a physical confrontation between them.
“Amou forcibly took the loaves of bread, which led to a fight between the two women. When Akuol Malual (the deceased) tried to separate Amou Akok and Akuol Nhial, she fell and sustained serious injuries. She did not recover and later passed away.”
Ngong said postmortem examination confirmed that the woman had suffered an internal head injury.
Ngong said police had taken control of the situation after the incident, which he described as having the potential to escalate further.
He urged members of the public to seek peaceful means of resolving disputes rather than resorting to violence.
“People are becoming so hot-tempered that they can resort to violence and even kill someone. An issue involving 8,000 SSP should never lead to a fight,” he said.
“It is better to report such disputes to the police or seek help from the local Chamber of Commerce in the market where they conduct their businesses.”
He advised people involved in debt disputes to seek assistance from police or relevant local authorities instead of engaging in physical confrontations.
The incident has raised concerns among residents over the consequences of escalating disputes, particularly amid economic hardship that continues to affect communities in the state.
The police urged residents to use peaceful avenues to settle disagreements and avoid violence that could result in loss of life.
