From right to left: Khalid Baballha, Ladu Lawrence Ladu, and Kenyi Peter in the dock on Thursday, October 22, 2020 | Credit | Joakino Francis/Eye Radio

A court in Juba has sentenced three men to prison for forging South Sudan School Certificates and other crucial documents.

Those convicted are Khalid Baballa, Ladu Lawrence Ladu and Kenyi Mark Peter.

They have each been handed four years prison.

According to a lawyer, the three were convicted under South Sudan Penal Code Article 48 and 339.

The law states whoever imitates or alters any key or fabricates any instrument, upon conviction, shall be sentenced to imprisonment, and may also be liable to a fine.

The three men were supposed to serve seven years imprisonment for the crime, but the three pleaded for leniency resulting in the reduction of their prison terms.

They started serving prison time on Thursday, 22 October 2020.

“After listening to all the accused, and because there is no any single reported case in a newspaper, and also looking at the nature of the crime, the court decided to sentenced them to four in jail, starting on 22 October 2020,” Justice Deng Ajak read out the verdict on Thursday.

On Tuesday, authorities first arrested Sebit Joseph Eli Juba and charged him with printing counterfeit South Sudan School Certificates and documents of key institutions.

Reacting to the verdict, the Ministry of General Education has expressed its gratitude to the court for upholding the law.