Authorities in Jonglei State have said a traditional chief and two youth are being detained at a cell in the state capital, Bor, following their arrest on suspicion of involvement in a deadly inter-communal violence at a fishing site in Jonglei State.
Three people, including a prominent wrestler Deng Moradong, were killed while five others injured when a dispute which erupted at a fishing site between some community members from Ayual in Twic East County and Hol in Duk County, turned violent. Tensions have since been high, with activists warning that the violence could escalate if the government fails to intervene promptly.
In an interview with Radio Tamazuj on Sunday, Maj. Gen. Elia Costa Faustino, the state Police Commissioner, said the traditional chief named Magai Lem and his two subjects were arrested after days of manhunt and that they are in police custody pending investigations.
“We had a force which spent three days at those fishing sites where they arrested three people for alleged involvement in last week’s violence. These suspects were brought to Bor town on Saturday at 7:00pm and investigations will start on Monday,” he said. “A search is still ongoing because more suspects are still at large.”
The state police chief said the suspects will be arraigned before the court as soon as investigations are completed so that justice is served.
Peter Latjor Chuol, the Duk County Commissioner, said he oversaw the operation that led to the arrest of the suspects.
“On 20 October, I sailed to the islands of Machar, Amech, and Alang with a force of 15 policemen. There I arrested two suspects over the killings at the fishing site in Duk County while the chief of Amech, Magai Lem was also arrested. I brought them to Bor on Saturday night so that they are investigated and taken to court because we want peace,” he said.
A civil society activist in Bor, Bol Deng Bol, lauded the arrest, saying, “The news about the arrest will be a relief, and it will mean that our government has taken this matter very seriously. Those fishing sites are a lifeline where our communities get food and the fish are even imported to neighboring countries, improving the local economy. So the government should intervene by arresting the suspects, arraigning them in court and reconciling the conflicting parties because we cannot afford conflicts,” he pleaded.
However, Jacob Chol Tor, Twic East County Commissioner, said his community is still saddened by the incident.
“No one informed me about any arrest made in connection to the killing. Again, we may not be sure that those arrested are indeed the killers. So there is no good news yet and people here are not happy,” he said.