The undersecretary at South Sudan's Ministry of Information, Communication, and Postal services Paul Jacob Kumbo died on Sunday in the Sudanese capital Khartoum after a short illness.
Information minister Michael Makuei Lueth told Radio Tamazuj on Monday that Jacob went to Khartoum for medical attention but later succumbed after a surgery.
“Paul Jacob fell sick early this month. We sent him to Khartoum for medication. Unfortunately, he had an operation and could not make it through. He passed on yesterday afternoon,” he said.
“We cannot talk about the cause of death now until we get the medical report. They are now processing the body to be brought, after which we will officially declare the cause of death,” Makuei added.
Two weeks ago, Paul Jacob was appointed undersecretary in the ministry replacing Alier De Mayen. Before then, he served as the director-general in the ministry.
Makuei praised Jacob for his dedication at the ministry where he has worked for a long time, saying his death came as a shock to the entire ministry and government as they still needed his wealth of experience.
Makuei said Jacob departed before assuming his new office.
“His death is a big loss to the family and us in the ministry, and the government of South Sudan. He is an icon, one of the founders of this ministry and he has a volume of experience which we were expecting to benefit from,” he noted.
Last Friday, the ministry also lost a prominent journalist and senior presenter with the government-owned-media South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation Butheina Mohammed Saleh who also died in Khartoum after an illness.
Makuei said the ministry sent condolence messages to the families of the deceased saying the deaths are a big loss to the media fraternity in the country.