Ayii Duang Ayii, former chairperson of the Business Community - Courtesy

The Court of Appeal in Juba has upheld a high court verdict ordering South Supreme Airline to pay 350,000 US dollars as compensation for the two pilots who were killed in a plane crash in Jonglei State three years ago.

In March 2021, a commercial plane registered as HK-4274 and owned by South Supreme Airline of businessman Ayii Duang, crashed at an airstrip in Pieri of Jonglei state, killing 10 people.

The two pilots who perished in the crash were a South Sudanese and a Kenyan national.

In a previous verdict, the Juba High Court said that the airline failed to guarantee the pilots, Captain Majur Malual, a South Sudanese national, and Captain Philip, a Kenyan national.

On Tuesday 13^th February 2024, Juba High Court ordered South Supreme Airline to pay $175,000 as compensation to families of each of the two pilots who were killed in the crash.

This is in addition to the 800,000 US dollars that the court has set aside as compensation for the other 8 passengers killed in the incident.

However, the airline company appealed against the verdict.

In a session on Friday, the Court of Appeal panel presided over by Judge Bol Lual Wang, alongside Judges Sumaya Saleh Abdullah and Kimo Othon Dak upheld the High Court ruling.

It ordered Ayii Duang’s company to pay $175,000 each as compensation for the two pilots killed in the plane crash.

Speaking to the media after the court session, the victim’s defense lawyer Nyok Kuol Nyok said the court demanded the payment by 29th of this month.

“Today’s [Thursday] session was to follow up on the implementation of the previous court order, but the South Sudan Supreme Airline company appealed against the High Court.

“The Court of Appeal rejected their request, and according to this rejection, we scheduled today’s [Thursday] session, but they appealed again the decision of the Court of Appeal, and the court set the 29th day to implement the order.

The company’s management has two weeks to raise their grievances to the Suprem Court for consideration, citing the High ruling was unfair.