A woman identified as girl identified as Iluho Akim, 20, on Sunday, committed suicide after her parents accused her of having a love affair with a man in Hiyala in Eastern Equatoria State’s Torit County.
The tragic incident happened after the lady’s parents found her standing with a man with who she allegedly had a love affair. This prompted the young woman’s parents and relatives to beat the man into a coma.
According to local sources, when Akim heard that her lover had been badly beaten, she went to the garden and hung herself.
It is a cultural practice among the Lotuho for the brothers and relatives of a girl or young woman to beat their prospective in-law who is seen wooing her to instill respect. Where it goes wrong and the man dies, the lady is often given to the family of the man and married by the deceased’s brother or close relation.
Galileo Ohide, Paramount Chief of Hiyala Payam, told Radio Tamazuj that the incident happened on Sunday morning and that the area has recorded 20 suicide cases by both hanging and shooting this year.
“The name of the girl is Iluho Akim, aged 20 years, and the incident happened on Sunday morning after the accused person (man) was beaten. When the girl got the information of the beating, she decided to go out of home claiming to go and collect vegetables in the garden, and hanged herself,” he explained. “This year about 20 people have committed suicide and for this to end, there is a need for counseling. We have to create awareness for such acts to reduce. This girl committed suicide by hanging herself using a rope and others use guns to kill themselves.”
For his part, Christopher Andrew, the commissioner of Torit County, said the police would be dispatched to apprehend the father of the deceased.
“I am aware of the incident and the father of the deceased girl will be brought here (Torit) and be put in custody. The family of the deceased will be investigated on the cause of the suicide until a case is opened,” he explained. “However, because there is no direct crime, the issue will be solved at the family level by chiefs”
Meanwhile, Eunice Nakiru, a woman activist and the Executive Director of Najaling Foundation condemned the incident and urged communities to desist from harmful traditional norms and practices that ruin people’s lives and deprive them of their choice of partner.
“As a mother, as a parent, I condemn what happened. Imagine when someone stands with another person, if a girl and boy stand together, maybe they are sharing a certain issue not connected to a relationship. Even if they have a relationship, let them stand and share their issues. Did they expect this girl not to have an affair with a boy?” she asked and added: “This is a big mistake, this is a culture we are saying should be prohibited in our traditions of South Sudan. These are harmful traditional laws that need to be eradicated and the father of the deceased has to be put in prison for life so that others learn. This is unlawful.”
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