By Manas James
Kator High Court has issued an order, upholding a decision by Malakia County Court for South Supreme Airlines to compensate the families of the eight victims of the plane crash which happened in Pieri town in Uror County in Jonglei State in 2021.
On 23 May, Kator High Court judge, Nicolas Makuach Bol, issued a stay of execution order suspending an earlier ruling by Malakia County Curt awarding each of the eight crash victims 175 000 USD in compensation. This came after an appeal by the airliner, and it was necessary to allow time for the appeal to be heard.
Kator High Court Judge Makuach Bol who presided over the appeal upheld the county court decision but reduced the amount to be paid in compensation for each victim to 100, 000 USD.
In an interview with No. 1 Citizen Daily Newspaper Wednesday evening, Monyluak Alor Kuol, a lawyer representing the complainant, said the court decision is long overdue.
“Actually, the ruling for the appeal was made on the 1st of August. The High Court judge adjusted the value of the compensation from 175 000 to 100 000 USD while the other orders of the court remain the same,” he said. “So, these people will still be compensated.”
The lawyer said his clients are comfortable with the court ruling and that his next move would be to ask the court so that his clients are paid promptly.
The airline’s lawyer was not immediately available for comment.
On March 2, 2021, the South Supreme Airline Let aircraft with registration number HK-4274 crashed shortly after takeoff in Pieri killing 10 people aboard including two crew members.