Africa-Press – South-Sudan. The suspect number one, who had been accused by witness number four last week, denied yesterday before the High Court Judge, Alexander Sabor Subek, that he was not part of the master plan to shoot the Rumbek Diocese Bishop-elect, Christian Carlassare, on racial grounds.
In his statement, the suspect, who had been the church caretaker since the demise of the bishop, Caesar Mazzolari, in 2011, leaving the diocese without a bishop, stated that he was not the master planner and was the one coordinating the process of transferring the bishop-elect to Nairobi for medical treatment after the shooting.
“I am not a party to what has happened,” he said.
The next sitting will be held today at 11:00 am to hear from the three other suspects who did not give their statements yesterday.
On Friday last week, the fourth witness, accused suspect number one, of masterminding the cleric’s attack so that he could take up the position.
He claimed that the suspect had been campaigning for the position of a bishop since 2011. He did this by conducting a lot of meetings and mobilizing the youth and other church members to support him and be the first South Sudanese Bishop in the Rumbek Catholic Diocese instead of a white man.
The fourth witness said suspect number one vowed to kill the bishop-elect, Christian Carlassare if he was not elected. He added that the suspect threatened to kill him (witness number 4) and leave the church in ashes.
This witness said that his misunderstanding with the suspect had not been resolved to date. He claimed that all the suspects in the case were suspect number one’s relatives, with the exception of suspect number three.
He claimed that suspect number three, was the driver of suspect number one and had been guarding him with a pistol when suspect number one went jogging every evening as the church leader, but no pistol was presented as evidence to the court.
Peter Obang, the prosecution attorney, closed the case to allow the defence team and other proceedings as the defence team showed no objection to the decision of the prosecution team.
Court free and fair
The defence attorney, Malith Jokthiang, said the charges levelled against his clients were allegations, adding that the suspect who wanted to stand alone had the right to do so since he was mature enough to make his own decision and it would not affect him because he had already been defended.
“He has the right to defend himself, but already the defence has been made. Even by the time charges are framed, I am sure nothing will be levelled against him. Because of those allegations, let’s say he was a bodyguard, the prosecution team did not bring the gun,” Malith said.
“He was not there at night; he was sleeping in his house. He never attended any meetings. Of these, the police did not say anything about him. We have already given him all the legal advice that is necessary for him to deal with the court, so, there is nothing much.”
He appreciated the court for being free and fair and said that nothing fishy had been detected so far since the court hearings began.
“There is nothing fishy, the court is free and fair, even the judge himself is aware.” We have educated the court about what the situation was in the church, “he stated.
“And even the relationship between the witnesses and the accused, the court knows. And that is our work, we educate the court to know exactly what the problem is, so, in all these sessions, there is nothing fishy, the judge has been free and fair, the procedures have been followed, there was nothing wrong,” he concluded.
Shooting
Carlassare was wounded on April 25, 2021, after he was appointed the bishop-elect of the Catholic Diocese of Rumbek on March 8, 2021, by Pope Francis. He was to replace Bishop Caesar Mazzolari, who died in 2011.
Carlassare was supposed to be enthroned as the bishop of the diocese of Rumbek on May 23, 2021. After he was wounded, the bishop-elect was flown to Kenya, where he was treated and recovered. He said he had forgiven his attackers before he departed for the Vatican.
President Salva Kiir Mayardit termed the shooting a disgrace and ordered an immediate investigation.
“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.
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