3 shot dead, 2 injured in Gudele marriage dispute

Three people were shot dead on Tuesday night in Gudele Suburb of Juba following bitter disagreement between two families over the marriage of their two children.
Late Riek Bol Mar,a law student at the University of Juba(Courtesy photo)

By Simon Deng                                                                                                                

Three people were shot dead on Tuesday night in Gudele Suburb of Juba following bitter disagreement between two families over the marriage of their two children.

An eye witness Matik Kueth, who is a close relative to 26-year-old Riek Bol Mar, who was among the dead, said that the latter eloped with a young girl in 2023, and impregnated her to the dismay of her relatives who opposed Bol’s proposal to marry their 19-year-old daughter.

“On Tuesday night at around 8 p.m, my cousin Riek Bol Mar, was killed by his in-laws. They arrived at Bol’s family home in Gudele and knocked at the gate. When the gate was opened, the in-laws of the girl who were armed aggressively forced their way through and shot Bol on spot , they shot him twice in the chest leaving him dead,” said Kueth in an interview with The Dawn on Friday.

 Kueth said that Bol’s nephew who is a soldier on witnessing Bol’s killing rushed to the house to pick his gun and was also shot in the stomach, but still managed to hit back at the attackers.

“He (soldier) crawled slowly to the edge of the house on the right, then cocked his gun and began shooting back at the attackers. In the ensuing exchange, he shot the uncle of the girl who is a member of parliament in Unity State and another person dead including injuring two other people,” he disclosed.

The girl’s relatives refused to marry off their daughter to Bol, preferring another man.

“We took Bol to the clinic that night, but unfortunately he did not survive and passed away the same night. We are now preparing his burial,” said Kueth.                                                                     

Bol was a third-year law student at the University of Juba and also taught t at Future High School in Mangateen.                                                                               

Both Bol and his fiancé’s relatives hail from Mayom County in Unity State.

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