A magistrate at Wau Court passed the first sentences on cases related with the deadly violent protests of last December in Wau, jailing seven suspects and dismissing four.
Tuesday morning 11 suspects accused of participating in the Busere Road blockade appeared before the court for the sentencing, Voice of Hope reported.Four suspects Ð John Zachariah, Daniel Scandar, Simon Sarvino and Martine Hassen Ð were set free after the court found them innocent of public violence offenses stipulated in Article 79 of South Sudan Criminal Act 2008.
Andrea Karlo, Jacob Salvatore, Oliver Santino, Joseph Peter, David Sabino, Joseph Arkangelo and Andrea Scandar were condemned to one year imprisonment counted from the date of the arrest.
The seven convicts could face ten-year sentences for causing public violence but the court has reduced it to one year.
Most of the accused said they were students and pleaded court consideration.