The family of a woman who was killed in what they describe as a “deliberate and brutal attack” has expressed disappointment at the Court of Appeal’s decision to overturn the convicted killer’s death sentence and reduce the offence from murder to manslaughter or culpable homicide.
In June 2022, Bobby Longar, a National Security Service (NSS) officer, shot dead his wife, Rebbeca Anyuon, and her presumed lover as they were reportedly caught spending time together at the Bedouin Hotel in Juba.
Later in December 2022, the High Court in Juba presided over by Judge Alexander Sabor found Longar guilty and sentenced him to death by hanging under section 206 of the South Sudan Penal Code Act 2008.
In a new twist, according to an appeal court ruling obtained by Radio Tamazuj, the appellate judges dismissed Longa’s claim of self-defence while accepting that a “severe sudden provocation” during the confrontation triggered the violence.
“The court quashed the murder conviction and ordered a retrial under a lesser charge, ‘quasi-intentional homicide,’ leaving sentencing to the lower court, but directing the court to consider the reconciliation when determining the penalty,” the ruling stated.
Reacting to the verdict, Tong John Clement, a counsel representing the family of the deceased in a strongly worded statement, criticised the appellate court for what they called a “misapplication of the law,” arguing that the circumstances of the killing clearly demonstrated intent and not provocation as the court had concluded.
“We note with serious concern the decision of the Court of Appeal to substitute the original conviction for murder with culpable homicide under Section 210 of the Penal Code Act,” he said. “The evidence before the trial court clearly demonstrated a deliberate and repeated act of violence.”
According to the lawyer, the accused armed himself, aimed, and fired multiple rounds at unarmed victims, conduct they believe shows conscious intent rather than a temporary loss of self-control.
“The reliance on sudden and accumulated provocation is a misapplication of the law,” Advocate John said. “The circumstances of this case do not fall within the narrow exceptions that reduce murder to homicide. Personal or marital disputes cannot justify the taking of life, nor can they diminish the gravity of a gender-based killing.”
He said the family maintains that the proper classification of the offence remains murder under Section 206 of the Penal Code Act and has vowed to pursue further legal action.
“We are going to appeal to the Supreme Court,” a family representative confirmed. “It is the final and superior court, and we believe it should review this decision.”
Advocate John said the family remains committed to seeking justice for their loved one and ensuring that the ruling does not set what they consider a dangerous precedent in cases involving gender-based violence.