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LAFON - 20 Sep 2021

Lafon officials arrest 2 men for looting humanitarian vehicles

Two men have been arrested for shooting at and looting a humanitarian convoy in Lafon County of South Sudan's Eastern Equatoria State last month. 

Local officials last month reported that a World Food Programme (WFP) convoy was waylaid and the organization’s staff was robbed of their money and belongings by armed men in Lafon County. 

"This is in line with government efforts to make sure that all the perpetrators are brought to book. It is part of the assurances that we made last time informing the public that they should get patient as the government is doing its activities," Lafon County commissioner Mengisto Ukachi Agweri told Radio Tamazuj on Friday. 

He added, “We managed to apprehend two culprits, Basilio Oriho and Jackson Lorya from Dorik Payam. This is the situation that was provoked by Jackson Lorya he imposed roadblocks by laying down sticks on the road promoting his colleagues to shoot the cars, they must be brought to book."

Commissioner Ukachi appealed to the communities to cooperate with the police in apprehending the criminals saying hiding criminals within the community might cause more harm than good.

Eastern Equatoria State Minister of information and government spokesmen Patrick Oting Cyprian said the arrests are a positive move and will ensure that WFP continues its operations in the area.

“The community right now is suffering as a result of that. WFP gave a condition that if these people are not apprehended, they will not supply food to the community around Lafon County of which we as a government look at it is not a very good thing. Our prerogative is to apprehend these people and bring them to the relevant authorities for them to face the law," he said.

He further urged the WFP to continue supplying relief food to the people in the county as the government provides security in the area.