Agnes Waron died at the age of 70 years after being murdered on Friday. (-)

Police at Hai Mauna Residential area in Juba have launched a man-hunt for two suspects accused in the beating and chocking to death of a 70-year-old woman allegedly over land inheritance on Friday.

The elderly victim, Agnes Waron, was murdered a few hours after she quarreled with some relatives attempting to confiscate her matrimonial home, according to the chairperson of Mauna Block 3 Quarter-Council, Juma Alberto Lado.

Lado narrated that the conflict started when the suspects, identified as in-laws of the deceased attempted to evict her from the home left by her late husband.

“This incident began with a discussion and dispute about land. The accused had asked this elderly woman to leave the house, claiming that she was the owner of the land,” he said.

According to Lado, the victim protested that she is the rightful owner since she married their brother, who was also buried in the land.

“The lady said told them; ‘I married your deceased brother, who was buried here in the house. He left me with his two sons who suffer from mental problems.”

When the argument proved long and fruitless, Agnes reportedly left the suspects quarrelling and went to sleep in her room.

The local government official said the elderly widow and mother of two grown men with special needs, was later murdered in her house at midnight.

Juma alleged that the two suspects infiltrated the old woman’s room and committed the crime by beating and chocking her to death.

“The accused, Fawzia Alphonse Idares, entered the room behind the old woman with another man named Jacob, and they beat the woman while she was sleeping.”

“After committing the crime at midnight, they escaped, and the police are currently searching for them.”

On her part, Gisma Charles Ramdan, a niece to the deceased, accused her aunt and uncle of the domestic and gender based violence that shocked the entire neighborhood.

“The death occurred after a dispute and discussion broke out between my aunt and uncle, who were under the influence of alcohol,” she told the media.

“My mother asked them to calm down, and not to make a noise because the neighbors were sleeping. So, they apologized to my mother and asked her to go and sleep.”

“When she confirmed that my mother had fallen asleep, they sneaked into her room because she left the door open because of the hot weather. They choked and beat her, which caused her death.”

When contacted by Eye Radio, Major Sity Fredrick, the officer in charge of the Gender desk at Mauna police station confirmed the incident and said the police were searching for the suspects.

“The accused in this crime are a woman and a man, and the main accused in the case is the man, but eyewitnesses confirm that this woman is an accomplice in the crime.”

“Currently, the police are investigating the case and the perpetrator has disappeared.”

The Transitional Constitution of South Sudan stipulates that women shall be accorded full and equal dignity of the person with men, as well as the right to own property and share in the estates of their deceased husbands.

However, South Sudanese women face many challenges regarding inheritance. Certain cultures are found to discriminate against women and girls denying them the right to take over from their husbands or fathers.