A suspected cattle thief was shot dead in a clash in Ikootos County’s Kabara Village in Eastern Equatoria State over the weekend when suspected raiders stormed a kraal and made off with an unknown number of cattle.
19 head of cattle were later recovered by the owners.
Local authorities said there was a heavy exchange of gunfire between the suspected raiders and the residents.
Ikotos County Commissioner Timon Loboi Lolori told Radio Tamazuj that the incident is being investigated.
“Since the incident is still a security threat, I cannot tell you more,” he said curtly. “We only found one person from the cattle raiders killed.”
Meanwhile, Muras Chacha, a SPLM Party lawmaker in the Eastern Equatoria State Legislative Assembly who hails from Ikotos County, confirmed the incident and said local youths were tracing the rustled cattle.
He advised cattle-keeping communities to consider using safe grazing areas and watering points for their animals.
“We are suffering because of cattle raids, so, cattle keepers should not leave or take their animals to the neighboring communities but should keep and take them to the safer sides,” Chacha guided.
For his part, Eastern Equatoria State Civil Society Network Chairperson Charles Onen Lokwaru condemned the incident and called on the government to enact laws to criminalize cattle raiding.
He said the cattle raids were alarming in Eastern Equatoria State and claimed many lives, destroyed properties, and caused suffering among the communities.