Traditional authorities have called for the revision of blood compensation penalties to address issues of rampant killing in Northern Bahr el Ghazal state.
Currently, a person who kills another person is asked to pay 31 cows as compensation.
Local leaders say the fine was instituted before South Sudan gained independence in 2011.
It was reportedly decided by the traditional authority in Tonj.
In a statement seen by Akol Yam FM on Wednesday, the chiefs said they now want the fine to be increased to 51 cows to discourage random killings.
“We wrote a letter to the State Ministry of Local Government because there is random killing in the communities because people pay less number of cows. We need the blood compensation to be unified in 10 States,” the chiefs said.
In response, the Director General in the State Ministry of Local Government said a memo will be drafted and presented to the State Council of Ministers for deliberations.
Peter Majok Deng Kout said the matter will them be forwarded to the State Legislative Assembly for debate before it is passed into the law.
“…that is the right procedure if the people of Northern Bahr el Ghazal want to amend custom laws. I received that letter and I shared it with the State Minister for Local Government.”
Majok said the outcome of the letter will be communicated to the traditional authorities.