By David Ochan – Torit
The Commissioner of Ikwoto County in Eastern Equatoria State, Hon. Timon Lohure Lolori, has reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring the arrest and prosecution of the suspect responsible for the killing of two young men in Obira Village, Chahari Payam.
The incident occurred on Wednesday night at around 10:00 p.m. and reportedly stemmed from a dispute over unpaid dowry. Among the victims was a finalist from Dr. John Garang Memorial Senior Secondary School who sat for the South Sudan Certificate of Secondary Education (SSCSE) examinations in December 2025.
Speaking to Radio Emmanuel 89 FM, Commissioner Lolori confirmed that he received an official report from the Obira head chief regarding the killings. According to the report, the two youths had gone to confront a man from Lohiliak over dowry obligations linked to his relationship with a woman who had borne him two children without formal marriage payments being settled.
“Yeah truly the chief informed me about the incident. In actual sense, you know, the issue started as a dowry matter (kasurubet). The suspect is from Lohiliak, and the incident happened when the boys went to ask him about the dowry issue. That is when this incident occurred. I have already spoken to the security personnel in Chahari to trace the location of the suspect. I spoke to them yesterday and encouraged them to act with courage, because such an incident is not easy. It has caused harm, but people should not worry too much. However, losing two people at once is very difficult for anyone to tolerate.”
The commissioner further disclosed that the village chief had advised the victims, based on guidance from the children’s father, not to confront the suspect at night. Instead, they were encouraged to wait until daytime and involve marriage mediators to resolve the matter peacefully.
“The chief even told me that the father of the children advised the boys not to go at night. He said the man was nearby and should be called the next day to answer the issues. Unfortunately, our youth sometimes ignore such advice. That is why they went. It appeared like an assault case, and the suspect, instead of reasoning, started firing at the boys when they raised the issue about the woman.”
Commissioner Lolori appealed to communities across Ikwoto County to use peaceful and culturally recognized mechanisms when handling marriage-related disputes and other conflicts, warning that ignoring such procedures often leads to unnecessary loss of life.
“We always tell people that it is good to follow procedures. There are elders, chiefs, messengers, and mediators Nyapara who are important. A mediator can be sent to communicate clearly what is needed. But nowadays, some people are ignoring these cultural processes.”
The commissioner made the remarks during a phone interview with Radio Emmanuel 89 FM from Ikwoto County on Friday, reiterating that the county authorities, in collaboration with security forces, will ensure the suspect is arrested and brought to justice.