The police in the Western Bahr el Ghazal State capital, Wau, on Friday, reported that Shemshedin Ali Juma, 17, committed suicide on Thursday in Wau Town and a young girl was shot dead by a soldier attached to the SSPDF’s Fifth Division in the Marial-Ajith suburb.
According to the state police spokesperson, Major. Santino Aduol Mayen, the suicide happened in the Hai Kosti suburb, and the family of the deceased opened a case with the police.
“On Thursday at 6:33 p.m., a boy identified as Shemshedin Ali Juma committed suicide in Hai Kosti due to unknown reasons and a case has been opened at Kosti Police Station and an investigation is underway to find out why he killed himself,” he stated. “On the night of Thursday at 8:25 p.m. there was an incident at the Marial-Ajith area where a girl called Aguil Ayuol Mading was killed by a private soldier from Division 5 and the suspect has been arrested and investigations are ongoing at the police station in Wau North.”
“Such suicide incidents always happen in the community and people sometimes do not know the reasons but the families of the deceased may come to know the reason later and they may be linked to physiological problems or family misunderstandings,” Maj. Aduol added.
He urged people facing problems, especially the youth, to desist from committing suicide and seek help from family, leaders, and health professionals.
When the family of the late Juma was contacted by Radio Tamazuj, the deceased’s mother, Amilia Mathew, said her son told her without further clarification that he was not happy before committing suicide.
“On Thursday at 3 p.m., I talked to him and he said ‘My mother, I am not happy and I am annoyed with my family.’ He then said he wanted to take the children to the home of his aunt Ceci.”
Wau Town has recorded several suicide cases since 2019, with more than 5 cases reported every year.