The High Court in Juba has yesterday acquitted two suspects, who were accused of being involved in the shooting of the bishop-elect of the Catholic Diocese of Rumbek, Fr. Christian Carlassare.

Alexander Sabor Subek, the High Court Judge said suspect number three, Gabriel Deng, and suspect number four (Mangok Chol) have been acquitted due to lack of evidence put against them.

“Today, the charges (were) being framed against the six accused, and the court released two of them under section 226 of criminal procedure for lack of evidence against them,” Justice Subek said.

“(The) other four accused were charged under sections 48, 55, 59, 72, 334, and 208, of the Penal Code 2008 and they will be tried again according to these sections. The next sitting is for hearing of the defense witness,” he stated.

Last week, suspect number five (Morris Sebit) and suspect number six (Laat Makur Agok), confessed before the court that they were guilty of shooting the bishop-elect, while suspect number one (Fr John Mathiang), and suspect number two (Samuel Maker), claimed that they were not guilty.

“On reading the charges to the accused persons, two accused confessed that they are guilty, and the two confessed that they are not guilty. Accused number five, and accused number six said they are guilty for shooting the priest. Then the two other ones, accused number one and accused number two, denied,” said Subek.

Justice Subek said they were still at the preliminary presentation of evidence, saying some might be acquitted or convicted based on the evidence adduced.

“Up to now, it is not an end of course, at the end of the day when the court is delivering the judgment, the verdict, it will be according to evidence adduced. Up to now, it is preliminary evidence. Maybe, some will go free and some will be convicted,” he explained.

The next sitting is scheduled for March 14, 2022 for further trial.

Ready to serve

One of the suspects who was acquitted, Gabriel Deng, expressed his gratitude for his acquittal by the court.

“I thank God for being acquitted today because being faithful is not something easy. You have to face some difficulties because if you know yourself you are innocent, God is the one who knows it,” he said.

He promised to work with the bishop-elect, and advised all the Catholic faithful, that he was proved innocent. Deng asked the bishop-elect not to feel that he was his enemy adding that God alone would reward him for his suffering in prison.

“I have to advise the people that if you are a true faithful, and you know yourself, you are innocent, pray hard and God will remove you from the problem you are in. To the faithful of Rumbek, from today you have to know, I am innocent. A church is not where you come and make bad things, it is a place where you come and confess,” he said.

“My message to the bishop is that, let him not see me as his enemy. I am a true faithful and I can work with him, unless if he is the one who will not need me. I have to appreciate God for his scheduled consecration. It is God who elected him, and he has to preach the word of God. I am in Juba now and if I get transport, I will attend his consecration and if he needs me, I shall work with him.”

Consecration scheduled        

On Tuesday, the administration of the Catholic Church in Wau announced the consecration of the bishop-elect Christian Carlassare, as the bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Rumbek on March 25, 2022, at the event of the annunciation of the Lord.

In a statement seen by The City Review, the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Wau, and the Apostolic Administrator of Rumbek, Rt Rev Matthew Adam Gbitiku, said the decision came after the consultation with the bishop-elect and the Apostolic Nuncio to Kenya and South Sudan, Archbishop, Bert van Megen.

“The consecration of Bishop-elect Fr Christian Carlassare will take place on the solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord, 25^th March, 2022 in Rumbek. Let us accompany him with our prayers. I wish you good preparation for the occasion as we enter into this period of Lent,” he stated.

“After due consultation with the Apostolic Nuncio to Kenya and South Sudan, and the bishop-elect, I am happy to announce to you the consecration of Bishop of Rumbek.”

Carlassare was shot on both is his legs on April 26, 2021. He was supposed to be consecrated on May 23, 2021 to replace the deceased Bishop of the Diocese of Rumbek, Caesar Mazzolari, who died during the celebration of the Holy Eucharist in 2011.

However, the installation did not take place due to the incident.

President Salva Kiir had described the shooting of the bishop-elect as disgrace and ordered an investigation into the incident.

“The reprehensible act of violence meted on him is unacceptable, and it must stop. I call upon all South Sudanese to condemn the criminals who carried out this heinous crime in the strongest terms possible,” the president noted.