Police probe murder of 2 Ugandan drivers near Juba

The police in South Sudan’s capital, Juba, is investigating the kidnapping and murder of two Ugandan drivers by armed men along the Nimule-Juba road last week.

The police in South Sudan’s capital, Juba, is investigating the kidnapping and murder of two Ugandan drivers by armed men along the Nimule-Juba road last week.

South Sudan police spokesman, Daniel Justin confirmed to Radio Tamazuj on Wednesday that three Ugandan drivers were ambushed, kidnapped and two were later killed at Nesitu.

"It is true that three Ugandan drivers were ambushed and kidnapped. They were then ordered to make contact with their bosses to ask for ransom money. Money was sent but the kidnappers said the money was little. In the end, two of the victims were killed. One escaped and came and described the incident and the kidnappers and we are now following up on the case," Justin said.  

The drivers were close to Juba when they were ambushed. "We are trying to work with the surviving victim, to collect information so that we can track down these criminals,” he added.

The Ugandan The Monitor Newspaper, quoted the survivor, Andrew Asiimwe, as saying that the killers hit his two colleagues using hammers until they died after the ramson money sent was short of what they demanded.

Asiimwe was kidnapped with three other Ugandan truck operators, including Mayende Kamaadi and Ahmed Ssebagala, as they drove to the South Sudan capital, Juba, on September 27 at about 7 pm. One of the drivers escaped during the ambush.