The wife of Budi County Commissioner, 27-year-old Susan Akileo was shot dead on Wednesday allegedly by her husband’s younger brother, officials said.
The suspect, Maurice Otto Akileo, is the brother of Mboya Akileo, Budi county commissioner. Otto shot his brother’s pregnant wife in the head and tried to escape but he was arrested.
Bosco Lotyang, an SPLM legislator in the state assembly, told Radio Tamazuj that the suspect is in police custody in Chukudum for further investigations.
“That is a great disaster that has happened to the commissioner of Budi. The loss of his wife is very serious. The boy went to the woman and talked to her. I don’t know whether there was some misunderstanding,” he explained. “I think after some hours he came with a gun near to her. The woman was busy working. As he approached her, he harassed her and shot two bullets at her and another one in the air and he left.”
Lotyang condemned the act and said the suspect acted under the influence of alcohol. He also said the presence of arms in the hands of civilians creates insecurity.
Major General John Luny, the acting police commissioner in Eastern Equatoria state, also confirmed the tragic incident and said that the suspect was drunk when he committed the crime.
“That issue we have in my office is a family issue. The one who shot the lady is the brother of the commissioner of Budi. The man was drunk and he shot the lady. The police have already apprehended the suspect,” he said.
He adds, “The commissioner is aware, they are going to settle in their family. As the police, we will transport the suspect from Budi to Kapoeta South, and the commissioner and the family will continue to negotiate.”
Oryema Emmanuel, a state activist, expressed sadness over the incident and says the government should find ways of disarming the civil population.