The High Court in Kator has leveled charges against 29-year-old Justin Faustino Mani, a national security officer for participating in the shooting of a Catholic nun in 2016.
The late Missionary Sister Veronika Theresia Rackova a medical personnel was killed in 2016 in Yei South Sudan.
One accused among the six suspects appear in Court on Thursday at Kator and was being cross-examined by Judge Justice Nicholas Makuach Bol
The accused refuted all allegations put against him as being the mastermind in command that led to the killing of a Catholic Sister.
He denied being in charge of commanding the soldiers during the patrol on that day.
Advocate James Paulino Lado, who stand for the right of the victim explained that the court framed charges against Justine Foustino Mani under section 210 subsection 4 of the penal code Act 2008 for participating in the killing of Sr. Vironika Rascova.
“Today we have reached the very important stage whereby the court framed charges against the fourth accused, by name Faustino Justine Mani. That section means the accused committed the crime while he was fulfilling his duty,” he said.
Lado says he hope justice to prevail in favor of his client and applauded the National Security for being a good example by cooperating in the court procedure.
“I want to appreciate the administration of the national security for providing their accused personnel; we encouraged the National security to continue providing their people who committed crimes before justice.”
The National Security Legal Adviser, Akot Maduok said, they expected the case to be dismissed due to inadequate evidence provided on this case.
The Legal advisor says his team requested the court give them another chance to provide a witness to help scrutinize the judgment.
Akot said he is optimistic that his client is innocent and that the evidence provided before the court is not enough to hold him accountable for the crime committed.
“There was a senior personnel who was in charge of the whole squad. In the military, the junior cannot give the order when the senior is there,” he explained.
The presiding judge at the Kator Court in Juba, Justice Nicholas Makuach Bol announced the next hearing will be on the 4th of September 2023