Chop, Oman to now be tried separately in drive-by shooting case

Eric Johnson, Austin Daily Herald, Minn.
·1 min read

Jun. 18—The remaining two suspects charged in the drive-by shooting death of Gumdel Nygare Gilo, will now be tried separately.

Court documents were filed earlier this month, public defenders for the two defendants entered a motion to sever the cases. The two were originally to both be tried July 8-19. No new trial dates have been set in either case, but according to court records Jenup Stepen Chop, 19, is slated for a contested omnibus hearing on Sept. 13.

In May, of this year a grand jury indicted Chop and Cham Obang Oman, 29, in the June 9, 2023 death of Gilo. The indictment alleges that Chop was the shooter in the homicide while Oman aided.

READ MORE: Grand Jury indictment unsealed against 2 charged in June 2023 shooting death of Gumdel Gilo

In the indictment, Chop was charged with two counts of first and second degree murder, two counts of attempted murder and the use of a dangerous weapon in a drive-by shooting.

Meanwhile, Oman has been charged with five counts of aiding and abetting including aiding and abetting first and second degree murder and two counts of aiding and abetting attempted murder and the use of a dangerous weapon.

There is no next court date listed for Oman.

The third suspect in the case, Manamany Omot Abella, 24, altered his plea to guilty in a single count of felony aiding an offender — accomplice after the fact in the case as part of a plea deal. A sentencing date of Aug. 2 has been set.