Killer ram owner fined; murderer detained until cleared

A traditional court in Rumbek East County, Lakes State has penalized the owner of a ram that murdered a lady in the region lately.
The five-year-old ram was caught by authorities for knocking dead 45-year-old Adhieu Chaping last week.
The enraged cat was near the late when it repeatedly pounced on her ribs as she sought to rise up.
On Monday this week, a customary court in Rumbek East County ruled over the issue and urged the owner of the Ram and the relatives of the dead to resolve the situation.
The anonymous owner of the ram then offered to donate five cows as blood reparations to the bereaved family, a request all parties approved.
Passing the judgement, the customary court accepted the agreement and ordered the owner to pay a fine of one cow to the court.
Elijah Mabor, Lakes State Police Spokesperson, explained that the ram would stay in police custody for the next two weeks to enable the owner to pay the appropriate charges.
“It will stay in custody in the interim. Either the court will decide to allow the ram to be released to the owner or it will be detained until the fine is paid,” he stated
According to the customary rules of Lakes State, any domestic animal that has killed a human is handed as recompense to the family of the dead.
Last Monday, a professor of Law at the University of Juba in a publication by Eye Radio explained that the arrest of a ram by Lakes State police is the legal method, which is authorized by the law.
Geri Raimondo, who is also a former Justice of the Court of Appeal of the Judiciary, said the measure was required to compel the owner to attend settlement of the lawsuit.