Anxious Nation Watches High-Profile Case
Three sisters from Rumbek were discovered lifeless in room 8 of Freedom Hotel on 28 March, shocking the capital and the Lakes community.
The Rumbek Youth Union, now headquartered in Juba, argues that the tragedy exposes lingering gaps in South Sudan’s protective systems for young women.
The Minister’s Contested Ruling
Justice Minister Joseph Geng Akech recently ordered the hotel reopened and granted conditional bail to its owner and staff, citing expired detention limits in the penal code.
He defended the move as a matter of constitutional rights, writing that “no legal reason” justified further closure once investigators officially signed off on site inspections.
Families Question Forensic Trail
Family lawyer Josephin Adhet Deng counters that critical evidence—especially air-conditioning parts—was allegedly swapped during early searches, compromising laboratory results.
She warns that reopening the hotel before independent verification “betrays truth” and could erase subtle chemical traces still present in the ventilation network.
Legal Scholars Weigh Implications
University of Juba criminologist Dr. Peter Kenyi notes the case, registered as Criminal 2174/2025, may shape jurisprudence on corporate liability in a post-conflict setting.
He sees tension between procedural integrity and collective trauma: “Courts must uphold due process while recognising that speed and transparency sustain public confidence”.
Community Voices Pursue Closure
For the girls’ father, General Chol Arol, economic normality at Freedom Hotel clashes with personal grief. “Our questions remain,” he tells reporters, eyes fixed on reopened gates.
Youth Chairperson Lino Laat Nuer vows peaceful advocacy until a verdict is delivered, insisting that justice, even delayed, can still knit fractured trust across communities fatigued by violence.