A policeman has been apprehended for shooting and injuring three people who were fighting over a motorcycle in Rumbek market in Lakes State’s State Rumbek Central County.

According to the police, the policeman whose name was not given, was called by the owner of the motorcycle to apprehend someone he had entrusted it to for use as a motorcycle taxi, commonly known as boda-boda, without a warrant of art or due process. The motorbike owner accused the rider of not remitting money to him.

The police spokesperson in Lakes State, Maj. Elijah Mabor Makuac, told Radio Tamazuj Thursday that the incident occurred on Wednesday at 7 p.m. in Rumbek market in Rumbel Town and that the policeman has been arrested pending investigations.

“On Wednesday evening, we registered one case of a policeman who left his duty station in Maper and went for a mission without any orders. Two of the victims clashed over their motorbike which was meant for business and there was a claim that the motorbike had been working and money was not being remitted to the owner,” he explained. “When the owner tried to claim his rights from the person he entrusted with his motorbike and the latter resisted, the owner of the motorbike decided to call the policeman who came and fought the rider.”

Maj. Mabor said the complainant was not aware that the rider was drunk when he sought police intervention.

“He just called the policeman to arrest the rider. The policeman decided to open fire and shot and injured one person in the eye, another in the leg, and a third person in the mouth,” he stated. “The policeman tried to escape arrest after realizing he had committed a crime but security teams were mobilized that night and he was arrested.”

The police mouthpiece said the policeman is in custody for deserting his duty station among other charges while the injured trio are receiving treatment in hospital.