A South Sudanese court has sentenced a police officer to six years in prison for the 2023 murder of a woman in Mundri, Western Equatoria State.
The High Court in Yambio found Alice Bornforce Peter, 52, guilty of fatally stabbing a woman she had hired to fetch water at a local bar. Peter, who served as a Gender Desk Investigator at the Mundri West Police Station, committed the crime on June 16, 2023. The killing triggered unrest in the community, including property destruction and retaliatory violence.
In a May 12, 2025, ruling, Judge Angelo Yor said Peter’s sentence would be counted from the date of her arrest, the same day as the murder. The court also ordered her to pay 21 cows as customary blood compensation to the victim’s family, along with 1.6 million South Sudanese pounds (SSP) in legal costs and 7.5 million SSP for funeral expenses, known locally as karama.
Yor noted the murder caused widespread outrage, leading to the killing of another police officer, whose body was found the next day under the Mori Bridge.
Hellen Thomas, a lawyer for the victim’s family, said they agreed to compensation rather than seeking a harsher sentence.
“If they hadn’t opted for compensation, I would have pursued a heavier penalty under the murder charge,” Thomas told reporters.
Peter was convicted under Section 206 of South Sudan’s 2008 Penal Code.
A local women’s rights activist, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation, called the ruling fair.
“This is justice for both sides. Alice once served as a police officer, but now she is facing the consequences,” the activist said. “It is a strong reminder that no one is above the law.”
The case comes amid rising concerns over violence against women in the state. Earlier in May, three officers in Ibba County were sentenced to six years for a separate murder, underscoring abuses of power within law enforcement.