Amnesty International: Quashing of teenager’s death sentence must lead to abolition of death penalty

Amnesty International is urging the South Sudan government to take concrete steps towards abolishing the death penalty. 

 

“No one should be executed. We ask it [sic: the government] to take steps to review its laws to the remove death penalty as a form of punishment from the constitution to protect the right to life, said Oluwatosin Popoola, Amnesty International’s advisor on the death penalty.

 

The Human rights watchdog has welcomed a decision by the South Sudan court of Appeal to overturn a death sentence against Magai Matiop Ngong, a teenager who was convicted at the age of 15. 

 

Magai who has been on death row for about 2 1/2 years, was convicted and sentenced to death for reportedly murdering a relative after a misunderstanding. His sentence was overturned on the 14th of this month by the Court of Appeal in Juba.

 

Amnesty international advisor on death penalty, Oluwatosin Popoola says Magai Matiop Ngong is ‘lucky’ to be alive, revealing the recent purported execution of two people at Juba central prison.

 

Mr. Popoola spoke to Radio Miraya in this 10” interview.