S. Sudan: gunmen kill head chief in E. Equatoria

September 9, 2013 (NIMULE) – Unknown gunmen have shot dead the head chief of Nimule payam [district] in South Sudan’s Eastern Equatoria state, relatives and officials said on Monday.

“One bullet fell on the chest and those people shot him in head after he fell down. This is something very tragic,” Joseph Aceni said at the crime scene, located nearly one kilometer east of Nimule airstrip.

The motive of the killing remains unclear. Till now, no arrests have been made in connection with the incident.

The executive director of Madi corridor, in an interview with Sudan Tribune, strongly condemned the killing, but urged area citizens not to take the law into their hands.

“We are all shocked by the sudden death of the chief. The whole populations, not only me, are mourning as I speak now,” Hillary Lokudo said by phone Monday.

“For now, we urge people not to retaliate by taking the matter into their own hands”.

Last month, the state parliament decided to upgrade Nimule to a town status administered by a town clerk, amidst calls for more consultations from section of area population.

Located in Eastern Equatoria’s Magwi county, Nimule is approximately 192km southwest of the capital, Juba.

(ST).