Authorities in Kapoeta North County of Eastern Equatoria State have confirmed that one man was killed after a communal cultural activity degenerated into violence over the weekend.
The youth, according to local authorities, were engaged in a traditional game when a misunderstanding ensued among them leading to the clobbering of the deceased who died en route to a health facility.
Commissioner Emmanuel Epone Lolimo of Kapoeta North County said the deceased was hit on the head and chest, resulting in massive bleeding.
“There was a communal activity in Khor-Komuge where some youth engaged themselves in a fight that left one dead. He died because of injury, he didn’t die on the spot,” Commissioner Lolimo said. “We sent people to go and pick him up so that he could be attended to but he died as a result of bleeding. I think he was beaten in the head and also around the chest which affected him but so far the situation is calm.”
According to the commissioner, the suspected murderer fled and is hiding in far-flung kraals but that authorities have summoned the chief of the area to devise ways of handling the matter.
“He is hiding in kraals, so we have called the chiefs. The chiefs are here, they came this morning, and we are talking with them to find a way of how we can settle this issue traditionally,” Commissioner Lolimo added.
He called on the communities to denounce cultural practices that bring about violence to stop further deaths in the area.
“We don’t encourage such attitudes because it is done in good faith for the sake of practicing, like passing the culture to the younger generations so that it is continuous but in the process, it may end up being violent like this incident. As the authorities in the county, we don’t encourage such kinds of practices anymore,” Lolimo said.
The area police inspector, Major Pio Obol Marino, said they could not reach the area due to a lack of transport.
“The place is far, it needs transport. You cannot manage trekking to that place. It needs a vehicle to reach the scene early,” Maj. Obol said.