A state official has confirmed the death of a former rebel brigadier from Western Equatoria in Juba, saying he passed away from Hepatitis C disease on Friday.

Brigadier General Yohana Awad Akayo was a senior military officer among SPLA-IO officers who came to Juba with South Sudan's Former First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar after peace was signed last year.

He reportedly went to the bush with Machar for a few days after the 8 July incident but later decided to surrender to the government.

According to Gbudwe State Deputy Governor Victor Edward, Brigadier Yohana Awadi Akayo died in Juba due to Hepatitis C that he suffered from for a long time while he was in the bush since 2013.

He told Radio Tamazuj on Tuesday that Brigadier Yohana's mother belonged to Gbudwe State and his father was from Maridi. His body was flown to Gbudwe on Sunday where he was finally laid to rest in Yambio on Monday and his funeral will start by Tuesday.

Charles Kasanga, a former Western Equatoria official, also announced the death of Yohana on his Facebook wall saying that the brigadier died on Saturday evening at Munuki Payam after the authorities were trying to flow him to Kampala for further treatment.   

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