Catholic Priest Among 4 Sentenced in Shooting of South Sudan Bishop-Elect

Catholic News Agency ^ | 4/26/22 | Staff

[marshmallow]

A Catholic priest was among four people sentenced on Monday over the shooting of a bishop-elect in South Sudan.

A judge at the high court in the capital Juba issued the sentences on April 25 after Father John Mathiang Machol, Moris Sebit Ater, Laat Makur Agok, and Samuel Makir were found guilty of “participating directly or indirectly” in the attempted assassination of the now Bishop Christian Carlassare of Rumbek.

Justice Alexander Sebur Subek gave Father Mathiang a seven-year jail term in connection with the attack on the Italian-born member of the Comboni Missionaries, who was shot in both legs on April 26, 2021, reported ACI Africa, CNA’s African news partner.

Father Mathiang’s phone calls “before the crime were retrieved during a police investigation,” South Sudan’s Eye Radio reported on April 25.

The sentencing of Sebit and Laat was based on the evidence before the court that they “went with ammunition to shoot the bishop in his house” in the Diocese of Rumbek, according to the Catholic Radio Network.

Makir was given a five-year sentence after he was found guilty of “keeping two guns that were used for the attempted assassination and providing the assassins with Itel phone for communication,” the radio network in South Sudan said.

Defense lawyer Malith Mading announced that he would appeal the decision.

[Tax-chick]

That article was not very informative.

[Deaf Smith]

Nothing personal, just business.

[piasa]

Shot in both legs? How mafia of them.

[Pajamajan]

What is this about?

[marshmallow]

Here's another article which is slightly more informative.

I think this is the key passage;

Once the Rumbek diocesan see became vacant in July 2011, a Comboni Missionary, Fr. Fernando Colombo, served as Diocesan Administrator until December 27, 2013, when Fernando Cardinal Filoni – Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples at the time – appointed Fr. Mathiang as Diocesan Coordinator. Thus the announcement of Carlassare’s appointment on March 8, 2021 would mark the end of nearly a decade without a bishop in Rumbek. Mathiang served as Diocesan Coordinator for over seven years before Carlassare was announced as the new bishop. The assassination attempt, reportedly incited by Mathiang, came seven weeks after the announcement.

I'm thinking Fr. Mathiang enjoyed his job as administrator and didn't appreciate the arrival of a new bishop. As another poster said in jest up thread...."nothing personal, just business".

[Tax-chick]

Okay, thanks. That’s helpful. Could be financial shenanigans that would be uncovered by a new Bishop.