Council of States member on Ngok-Twic peace team dies in Abyei

Late John Masua Mandaza [Photo: Courtesy]

A member of the Council of States, John Masua Mandaza, 73, who was on the committee investigating the Ngok-Twic conflict passed away on Monday in Abyei.

A member of the Council of States, John Masua Mandaza, 73, who was on the committee investigating the Ngok-Twic conflict passed away on Monday in Abyei.

The Abyei Information minister, Ajak Deng, told Radio Tamazuj that the lawmaker who was representing Western Equatoria in the upper house suddenly died while being rushed to the UNISFA clinic shortly after a fall in the bathroom.

 “This (Monday) morning, he was normal, and were even together,” he explained. “He got up and while he was brushing in the bathroom, he suddenly fell and was being rushed to the UNISFA hospital but passed away before reaching.”

Deng said the cause of death had not been established but that the deceased suffered from complications related to hypertension and diabetes.

“Nothing could be established because he did not reach the hospital alive but what is written now as a cause of the death is a background of high blood pressure and diabetes according to what the doctor stated,” he said.

According to Minister Deng, the deceased’s body was flown to Juba for burial.

“The body was flown to Juba and arrived at 5 pm,” he said.

Masau was a member of the investigation team headed by Angelo Beda sent to Abyei by the national assembly to investigate to recent violence between the Twic community of Warrap State and Ngok Dinka of Abyei.