Police in Nzara County of Western Equatoria State arrested a bodyguard of the County Commissioner for attempting to assassinate his boss.
On Wednesday last week, the Commissioner of Nzara County, Richard Zizi, survived being killed by one of his guards, Stephan Kizito, who was demanding money.
The Police Criminal Investigation Department (CID) inspector in Nzara County, Elias Taban Louise, told Radio Tamazuj that they have arrested the bodyguard and another person who purportedly hired him to assassinate Commissioner Zizi.
According to Elias, the two suspects have been transferred by the National Security Service to the state capital, Yambio, for further investigations.
“What we know according to the investigation is that there is a deal in it. There was someone who sent him (bodyguard) to kill the county commissioner of Nzara and he has named the person who sent him. I have recorded all those things and I have handed them over to National Security, including the person who sent him, for further investigation. This is what I know and the case is now under National Security,” Police inspector Taban said.
For his part, Commissioner Zizi confirmed the incident. “Yes, indeed it happened on Wednesday when I prepared to go for work. One of my bodyguards threatened me. He said that there is a letter he wrote to me that he needs a telephone, uniform and other things for his support and that if those are not there, I will not go for work today,” Commissioner Zizi narrated. “I told him please I don’t know why he is coming with this because I already have the letter and I am in the process to get them. He said I should give them. I could not understand that there was something behind it till he was arrested.”
The commissioner called for the expeditious graduation of VIP protection so that the leaders can be protected by professional and qualified security bodyguards.
“According to security arrangements, there is the provision of training of VIP protection and it has not happened which has created a big gap,” Commissioner Zizi said. “So we are struggling to see who can protect VIPs and you can see someone coming from nowhere with a different character and who is not well trained. And most of the trained soldiers are in the training centres.
Nzara County was given to SPLM-IO in line with the power-sharing matrix of the Peace Agreement.