Family of slain Sudanese woman vows reprisal if killer not tried

March 8, 2012 (KHARTOUM) – Tragic scenes unfolded at the conclusion on Thursday of the morning ceremony of a Sudanese woman killed by police two days ago as her relatives warned of revenge if no action is taken against the perpetrator.

The victim, Awadia Agabna, was shot dead on Tuesday by a member of the Public Order Police (POP) outside her house in Al-Deim area in central Khartoum during an altercation between the police and her brother who they accused of being drunk.

The incident gave rise to popular outrage and concomitant protests as well as renewed criticism of the controversial POP and the legislation it is based on, which aims to regulate behaviour of men and women according to Islamic Shariah law.

Sudan’s Ministry of Interior further stoked tension around the incident by issuing a statement claiming that “drunk” members of the victim’s family attacked the police and tried to seize their weapons. The statement also said the victim was killed when the police “fired three shots in the air.”

More than thousand people gathered on Thursday to attend the final day of Awadia’s morning ceremony at her family’s house in Al-Deim. The angry crowd was chanting slogans demanding the resignation of the interior minister, Ibrahim Mahmoud Hamid, and prosecution of the killer.

The victim’s uncle, Ibrahim Idam, who happens to be a longtime member of the ruling National Congress Party (NCP), broke in tears as he addressed the mourners.

Idam strongly criticised the police and described the incident as “disgraceful.” He went on to call on Sudan’s President Omer Al-Bashir to purge the police of “the strangers.”

Awadia’s uncle said amid mournful cries of fellow family members that “what happened is a disgrace and must be corrected through a fair trial of the perpetrators.”

Idam warned that the family will resort to other means if the killer is not tried. He also said the police must apologise for their “farcical” statement.

Meanwhile, local newspapers in Khartoum reported on Thursday that Sudan’s interior minister said that the policeman who killed Awadia has had his immunity lifted and will be prosecuted.

(ST)

ST – Thursday 8 March 2012 – Sudan: Awadia’s family demands retribution as officials apologize

ST – Wednesday 7 March 2012 – Sudan’s capital erupts in protests over killing of a woman by police