The suspect who killed two local government officials in Aweil East, Northern Bahr el Ghazal State, is expected to be extradited to South Sudan.
Abdalla Abuhja was reportedly apprehended by the Sudanese authorities in Southern Kordofan region this week.
On 13 January, 2023, the man, who is believed to be about 45 years old, breached a defensive perimeter at the border and attacked officials at Lueth Mel Boma, killing two people and injuring two others before fleeing the scene.
The officials were identified as Santino Akech Angok, the boma administrator; and his deputy, Peter Arol Kuan.
William Anyuon Kuol, state minister of information, confirmed the detention, saying Abuhja will be tried in accordance with the Rezigat-Dinka Malual agreement.
The deal allows for transfer of suspect to the area where he committed the crime for trial and judgment.
“Yes, investigation is going on and the suspect has admitted to killing the people because they were unfair to him during a court case over stolen and found cattle,” Kuol told Akol Yam FM.
In 2021, Abuhja disagreed with a South Sudanese herder over ownership of herds of cattle that were found in Lueth Mel.
However, the then boma officials ruled against Abuhja. If found guilty of killing the two boma officials, he would be compelled to pay 31 heads of cattle per victim as blood compensation.
In 2014, an SSPDF (SPLA then) soldier who had killed a Sudanese cattle keeper was forced to pay blood compensation of 41 heads of cattle.