A High Court sitting in the Western Equatoria State capital, Yambio, sentenced a former Ezo County commissioner and five other individuals to jail terms for their involvement in the 2019 killing of three detainees accused of practicing witchcraft.
The ruling was delivered on Friday, March 13, 2026, by High Court Judge Ongwili Kuot Ukumu following a long legal process. According to the court, three police officers, Wakoo Vicencio Kamilo, Natale Sambogo, and Bedal Elisama Apollo, were found guilty of murder under Sections 206 and 48 of the South Sudan Penal Code Act, 2008. The court sentenced the three officers to seven years in prison.
Judge Ukumu said the sentences will take effect from February 2, 2026.
The court heard that the victims had earlier been arrested on the orders of the then Ezo County Commissioner, William Mario Moritie, after they were suspected of practicing witchcraft. The judge explained that the detainees were later taken away at night by police officers, killed, and their bodies burned using petrol in an attempt to conceal the crime.
In the same ruling, the court sentenced three other individuals—William Augustino, Charles Kalisto, and former Ezo County Commissioner William Mario Moritie—to five years’ imprisonment for abetment to murder under Section 52 of the South Sudan Penal Code Act.
“The convicts Wakoo Vicencio Kamilo, Natale Sambogo, and Bedal Elisama Apollo are sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment starting from 2 February 2026 for committing the offence of murder under Section 206 read together with Section 48 of the South Sudan Penal Code Act 2008,” Judge Ukumu stated while delivering the verdict. “The convicts William Augustino, Charles Kalisto, and William Mario are sentenced to five years’ imprisonment for the offence of abetment to murder.”
In addition to the prison sentences, the court ordered the convicts to pay USD 42,373 to the relatives of one of the victims as customary blood compensation. The compensation will be enforced through civil legal procedures.
Meanwhile, defence lawyer Advocate Butrus George said he intends to appeal the ruling, saying he was not satisfied with the decision of the High Court.
“The next course of action is to appeal against the decision of the High Court in Western Equatoria State because I am not satisfied with the ruling,” he said.
The case has drawn attention in Western Equatoria State, with observers saying the ruling highlights the importance of respecting the rule of law and addressing violence linked to accusations of witchcraft.