South Sudan investigates killing of Kenyan national
May 17, 2012 (JUBA) – South Sudan said on Thursday it has formed a fact-finding committee to establish the “actual cause” of the deadly shooting of a Kenyan national on 14 May in the country’s capital, Juba.
Speaking in an interview with Sudan Tribune on Thursday, Acuil Tito Madut, inspector general of the South Sudan Police, described the incident as an “unfortunate development” and that the government had already offered an apology for the incident.
Tito said that South Sudan had assured the Kenyan government it is committed to protecting the security of foreign nationals.
Tabitha Musangi, who was a teacher at John Garang International School, was 25 years old.
She was allegedly shot by a soldier manning the Doctor John Garang Mausoleum. He is said to have opened fire on the taxi Musangi was travelling in when it did not stop during the flag-lowering on Sunday.
“The issue is being handled. The government has already formed an investigation committee to establish the actual cause. We already communicated with the Kenyan government and had accepted our apology because it was an accident. There was no intention to kill a Kenyan national”, explained Madut.
Her body was accompanied back to Kenya by relatives and the late Garang’s son, Majok Garang, on Tuesday.
Garang said the soldiers involved have been arrested.
Tito explained that the government deplored the soldier’s act that the perpetrator has already been arrested while the case is being investigated.
This is not the first incident involving a Kenyan national this year. In February 2012 a convoy including Kenyan nationals came under attack by armed bandits in Eastern Equatoria state, resulting in the death of three and injury of three Kenyans.
Two of the suspects were arrested in Budy county while trying to flee the country. They are currently being detained and are helping the police in their investigations.
Tito explained that tracking down the culprits had been a joint effort which included the national security minister himself, the Sudan People’s Liberation Army chief of general staff, James Hoth Mai. He also urged the citizens of South Sudan to continue giving timely information to the security forces.
(ST)