A police officer whose name has been withheld was on Saturday detained for shooting a 20-year-old man dead in Kapoeta Town in Eastern Equatoria State.
The unfortunate incident happened after the son of the police officer reported that he had been beaten by the deceased man. The angry officer picked up a gun and shot the man dead.
According to local authorities, the relatives of the deceased stormed the National Security Service office where the police officer was being held in large numbers and attempted to remove the suspect but security personnel intervened.
Elia Lokuda John, the mayor of Kapoeta Municipal Council, told Radio Tamazuj on Sunday morning that the police officer was arrested after the incident that occurred on Saturday at 7 p.m.
“A minor incident happened yesterday (Saturday) evening when some people disagreed while at a shop. One of them went and picked up a firearm and shot one civilian dead. We managed to contain the situation, there is relative calm and an investigation is ongoing for justice to prevail,” he explained. “The deceased is a young man aged 20 and the suspect, a second lieutenant is currently in detention and being investigated.”
Major Moses Mathew, the Inspector of Police in Kapoeta South County, confirmed the incident and said the killing angered the relatives of the deceased who came in big numbers and attacked the security office. He however said there were no casualties and local authorities convened a meeting with the deceased’s family to resolve the matter.
“The suspect has been taken to security custody and the family of the deceased came from the village in huge numbers, including youth, and attacked the office of the national security,” he stated. “The mayor and local army commander are still talking with them.”
For her part, Hellen Omina, an SPLM Party legislator who represents Kapoeta South County in the Eastern Equatoria State Parliament, condemned the killing and faulted the police officer for taking the law into his hands. She said the incidents created a lot of tension in the town.
“I am currently at the national security office and the relatives of the deceased are demanding that the suspect (police officer) be handed to them. This act was wrong because as a security officer, when there is a problem, you should seek legal means of redress and or arrest those in the wrong. You do not take the law in your hands by shooting someone,” she said. “So, we condemn it because it has now brought tension in Kapoeta and all shops are closed and the town is not calm. As of now, there is still a lot of tension and people are being convinced to remain calm as investigations into the incident take place.”