SUDAN/SOUTH SUDAN: Cleric Calls for Justice on Court Case of Nun Killed in Yei 5 Years Ago
Ginaba Lino
A Catholic priest of Yei Diocese, who is the supervisor on the Court case of the Catholic nun killed in a road ambush in 2016 is calling for justice to prevail.
On November 11, 2022, the High Court in Juba adjourned a session about the case of Sister Veronika Teresa Rackova after the accused failed to appear in court.
Fr Emmanuel Lodongo Sebit, Secretary General of the Catholic Diocese of Yei asked for cooperation to ensure that justice prevails on the case.
Fr. Lodongo stressed that it is now five years since sister Veronika was killed and no justice has been achieved.
“It is now almost now over five (5) years this case started; it’s been overdue and it’s due to lack of cooperation and understanding.”
“As the one standing on behalf of the Diocese of Yei, I appeal to all the people who are involved whether the National security, the South Sudan People’s Defense force (SSPDF) the government authority to cooperate and bring this case to an end. It’s a public case for all,” he said.
The court hearing has been severally adjourned since January until now. Meanwhile, the complainant’s defense lawyer James Paulino Ladu has expressed discouragement by the accused’s absence which cause the delay
Defense lawyer James stated that it’s nearly a year that the suspects are not brought to court due to unknown circumstances from their supervisors.
“Today we have come to attend the sitting for hearing the investigator, but because of the absence of the accused, the Court has adjourned the session to 23rd November 2022.”
The lawyer has called on the accused to avail themselves before the court.
In the firstcourt hearing, which took place in January, the former Governor of the defunct Yei River State, David Lokonga Moses, and SSPDF army official, Brigadier General Malong Agat appeared in court.
Their appearance before the Court was to explain the whereabouts of culprits who committed such atrocities in Yei.
General Agat said that five (5) suspects were arrested, of which three (3) of them were South Sudan People’s Defense force (SSPDF) soldiers and two others were National Security services (NSS) and Counter Intelligent officers (CIO).
He said, one of the three suspects reportedly died in Lasu, a year after the incident, and three were on the run.
The high Court ordered the Army General to avail the death certificate of the late Akol Deng and bring the four suspects to court.
The Court has been presided over by Justice Alexander Sabur Subek, who announced the next hearing to take place on 23 November 2022.
The Catholic Nun was born in Slovkia on January 8, 1958 and she made her first vows in the Mission Congregation of the Servants of Holy Spirit in 1987 and made her final vows in 1994.
Sr. was a medical doctor with specialization in tropical diseases and she worked as missionary in Ghana.
In 2004-2010, she served as Provincial Leader of the Province of Sovakia. After completing her term as Provincial leader, she was assigned to Yei Catholic Diocese in 2010 till her death in 2016.
She served has medical doctor and director of St. Bakhita Health Center.
On 15 of May 2016, around midnight, Sr. Veronika was attacked by suspected group of soldiers on her way back from Harvest Hospital after taking a patient on an emergency call.
