The Episcopal Church of South Sudan’s Aweil West Diocese has announced the death of one of its clergymen who died after a short illness on Friday last week.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj over the weekend, Peter Garang, the Bishop of the Diocese in Nyamlel, said Pastor Santo Ayang Atak’s death is a great loss to the church.
“Reverend Santino Ayang Atak has passed away. I think what happened was that the pastor fell sick shortly at his home village called Akuakrak and we didn’t know what was going on there because there is no telephone network in that village,” Garang said. “The incident coincided with state education minister Santino Bol Akok’s visit to collect examination papers of Primary Leaving School certificate in Achana Payam of Aweil West County.”
Bishop Garang revealed that the minister visited the pastor in his home and found that he was too ill. He then ordered his bodyguards to take him to a health facility but he died on the way.
“The minister then ordered his bodyguards to take him with them on a vehicle and when they arrived in Marialbaai, he (late) was given some medicines and they proceeded to Aweil town. Unfortunately, he passed away before reaching Aweil Civil Hospital,” he added.
Bishop Garang said the late was healthy until he develop diarrhea on Thursday night leading to his death on Friday.
In a Facebook post, the church said: “The Episcopal Diocese of Nyamlel in Northern Bahr el Ghazal Internal Province is saddened to announce the death of Rev. Canon Santino Ayang Atak of Marialbaai Archdeaconery on Friday 18/02/2022. The cause of his death was not clear because he died on his way to Aweil State Hospital. He was laid to rest at his home in Akuakrak village, Aweil West County.”