A driver was killed on the spot and four other passengers were critically injured when a car belonging to Eastern Equatoria State deputy governor, Mary Alphonse Lodira, which was part of a government convoy was ambushed by armed men along the Torit-Hiyalla road on Thursday evening.
The government convoy was returning to Torit from Lopit East when the ambush happened. The deputy governor's car was shot at, prompting it to overturn several times near the Hoss River bridge. Deputy Governor Lodira was not in the vehicle.
Politicians from the greater Kapoeta who were traveling to attend a retreat in Kapoeta town arrived on the scene and rescued the injured by rushing them back to Torit town for urgent medical attention.
Governor Louis Lobong’s press secretary, Aliandro Lotok, confirmed the attack and said, “This evening (Thursday), there was a vehicle coming from Lopit land and went it reached Hoss River, a huge number of Monyiemiji shot at it killing one person on the spot. They shot the driver in the head and currently, there are four injured people receiving treatment at Torit referral hospital.”
He added, “The government condemns this incident and urges the people of Eastern Equatoria, particularly the people of Torit East, to desist from causing conflicts, desist from attacking innocent people on the road. This is a government road and nobody from these villages should just come and kill people.”
Among those injured is US-based Professor James Okwaramoi who came to visit his family in Lohobohobo village in Lopit East.
The governor’s mouthpiece said the government will hunt down the attackers and bring them to justice.
‘As the government, we cannot leave this thing unattended. There will be movement, the government will have to ensure that these things (attacks) stop, because this is a highway and it is under construction and the government will ensure that the construction is not tampered with,” Lotok said.