Man stabs wife to death in Wanyjok ugly divorce row

AWEIL – A man in Wanyjok Town in Aweil East County of South Sudan’s Warrap State has been arrested after stabbing his wife to death following a bitter dispute over divorce in an incident that shocked the community.

The suspect, identified as Lual Malok Lual, is accused of attacking his wife, Adut Achiech, at a tea shop on Wednesday afternoon shortly after she served him with a formal divorce letter. Witnesses say the confrontation quickly escalated, ending with the woman suffering fatal knife wounds.

According to relatives, the couple had been experiencing long-standing marital disagreements. On Wednesday at around 3:00 PM, Adut reportedly met Lual at a tea place to deliver divorce documents — a decision that allegedly triggered the deadly attack.

Deng Garang Dut, a relative of the deceased, confirmed the incident and expressed the family’s devastation.

“My brother’s daughter has been killed by Lual Malok. This is too shocking for us,” he said. “She served him with the divorce document, and later he followed her and stabbed her.”

He added that Adut had previously attempted to address the marital disputes through formal channels, but the tensions persisted.

Another local youth, who described himself as familiar with the suspect, said Lual had previously worked for a humanitarian organisation but lost his job some time ago. He suggested that unemployment and heavy drinking may have contributed to the suspect’s behaviour.

“He was working for a humanitarian NGO, but after losing the job, he started drinking heavily,” the youth said. “People knew there were problems in the marriage, but nobody expected it to end like this.”

Police have confirmed that the suspect has been taken into custody. A police officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said investigations are ongoing.

“The man has been arrested and is currently being detained. The situation is tense, and investigations into the matter are continuing,” the officer said.

The killing has sparked fear and anger in the community, with residents calling for justice for the victim and tougher action against domestic violence. Community leaders say such incidents are becoming more frequent, often driven by unresolved domestic disputes and limited awareness of lawful mechanisms for conflict resolution.

Authorities have urged families to seek peaceful and legal means to resolve marital conflicts, warning that violence within households continues to claim lives and destabilise communities.

As investigations proceed, Adut Achiech’s family awaits justice, while Wanyjok mourns another life lost in a tragic domestic dispute.