A man walks through the village of Longairo in Torit State Credit/Karen Ressel/ACT International

Police in Torit are looking for a man accused of killing his three-day-old baby over a birth defect in Lopit West County, Torit State.

Emmanuel Loreya killed the baby boy for reportedly being born with one testicle.

An eyewitness in Longiro Payam says the man described the child as a bad omen for the family because of the unusual private part.

The suspect is said to be on the run.

“We are now sending the police to the area and we have already informed the commissioner and the paramount chief of the area to at least help us to know where the man is hiding,” said Col. Mathew Ochan, Torit state police spokesperson.

He told Eye Radio that some communities there regard babies born with one testicle as a curse.

He called on South Sudanese to desist from such bad cultural practices.

“We are now in the modern world and if that culture exists, it is a crime according to South Sudan constitution.”

Sections 206 and 207 of the Penal Code say if a person causes the death of her child, immediately or within 8 days after its birth in order to avoid shame, he/she commits the offence of infanticide, and upon conviction, shall be sentenced to imprisonment.

The constitution gives every child the right to life, to be cared for by his or her parents or legal guardian and to be free from any form of discrimination among others.

Most people with a penis have two testicles in their scrotum — but some only have one, according to Science. This is known as monorchism.

Monorchism can be the result of several things. Some people are simply born with just one testicle, while others have one removed for medical reasons.