Lakes state official convicted of adultery

January 18, 2012 (RUMBEK) – The Rumbek Central county court had sentenced the representative for the Malek constituency of the county in Lakes State parliament, Zechariah Puoric Matuong, to two years imprisonment on charges of child abduction this week.

Puoric was also ordered to pay a seven cow and SSDG1,000 (US$300) fine on charges of adultery under article 32, 28 and 26 of Dinka customary law.

Puoric illegally married and had a child with a woman who was already married to someone else during the second Sudanese civil war.

Under article 28 of Dinka customary law, the adulterant will have the children borne of the illegal wedlock removed, to be raised by their mother’s rightful husband.

Puoric had his immunity from prosecution removed after a request was submitted on 21 December 2011 by the attorney general in the wake of allegations that he had abducted a child from Uganda. Puoric claimed the child was his son.

This is the first civil case to be tried by Lakes state parliament since its establishment in 2005.

(ST)