Nine police officers who were accused of killing Maridi County Police Commissioner in 2021 have been bailed out after spending two years in jail without trial, a human rights lawyer has said.

Godfrey Victor Bulla, the Executive Director of Justice and Human Rights Observatory Organization said he has filed a case against the prosecutor’s decision to continue detaining the offiers without trial.

“What happened today is that we filed an appeal to the general prosecutor against the decision to continue detaining these officers without taking them to court,” he said.

“Finally, the General Prosecutor managed to grant bail to these officers agreeing with us that this case was based on suspicions and the prosecution was not taking the case seriously.”

In September 2021, the Police Commissioner of Maridi County of County of Western Equatoria State Brigedier General Dhol Deng was killed by a group of armed men.

The unidentified men broke into his house, wounded his guard before murdering him and his cousin.

Following the incident, the county authorities apprehended nine police officers in connection with the incident.

Advocate Victor, who is providing legal aid to the 9 police officers, told Eye Radio on Friday, a prosecutor accepted his appeal and released the suspects due to shortcomings in the procedures.

The police officers include Colonel Joseph Taban Daniel, Captain Kelement Wiliam, First Lieutenant Laverick John Peter and Samson Tanmanza.

Others are Second Lieutenant Tarik Juma Koku, sergeants John Malash and Marko Emmanuel and police private Karim Yousa.

“Following the case, one of the suspects was not handled by police, but he is in the military intelligence custody, so the police can take his statement.”

“As you know these officers were charged under sections 48,72 and 206 of the Penal Act 2008 which is murder. The government in institutions within the criminal justice are not cooperating.”

Victor Bulla said the case file will proceed to court once the accused in the military intelligence gives his statement.