A South Sudan man has been dragged before the courts for allegedly killing three siblings at their home in Juba, the capital of the North African country.
The siblings, all girls, were identified as Lydia Edward, 9, Blessing Edward, 7, and their 4-year-old sister Nura Edward. They were killed two months ago in a gruesome murder that shocked the nation.
Twenty four years old Babu Emmanuel Lokiri killed the siblings – who are his cousins – by slashing their throats with a knife, the Juba High Court heard.
Lokiri was brought before the court alongside his mother, whom investigator alleged attempted to help her son coverup the crime.
The lead police investigator on the case, Colonel George Lado Wani, read Lokiri’s statement confessing to the gruesome crime to the court.
“I am Babu Emmanuel Lokiri, 24 years old and a resident of Rock City, a fourth-year student of the University of Juba, faculty of medicine,” the statement by the suspect read in part.
“On Saturday at about midday, I went to the home of my uncle who is close to my mother. I usually go there. When I went there I had a knife with me. When I knocked on the door, the middle daughter of my uncle came and opened the door.
“I found them watching television. I then put my phone to charge. I asked them where their mother was and they said she had gone out. When my phone charged a bit, I pocketed it. They were watching children’s programs and I asked them to change the channel and they refused.
“I then asked them for the television’s remote control unit and they said there was no remote control unit. I then got angry at the second born and cut her on the right side of her neck. She ran in the direction of her bedroom. I followed her and cut her throat. I found the eldest girl in the bedroom and slaughtered her.
“I also found the young one on the bed sleeping and also cut her throat and cleaned the knife on bedsheets. I then closed the door and walked out. I opened the gate and when there was no one, I opened it and closed it behind me and walked to our home which is just across the road. I then threw the knife away and immediately went to my bedroom.”
Asked by the lead police investigator if the statement that was read back to him in court was voluntarily given, the Lokiri said yes.
The mother of the accused, Alice Noel, denied any involvement.
Asked if she washed the blood-stained clothes her son was wearing when he killed the three sisters, she said, “I washed some clothes but the only item among them that belonged to my son was a pair of his shorts. It is not possible that Babu would go to the home of the children in shorts.”
The prosecuting team presented in court exhibits and material evidence like the knife used in the commission of the crime and video clips demonstrating the crime.
Presiding Judge, Duoth Kulang, adjourned the case to next Monday and said there would be hearings on all working days until the case is disposed of.