Police in South Sudan’s Upper Nile State said a senior official was killed in Malakal town on Tuesday evening.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Wednesday, the state police commissioner Major General Chol Atem, named the man as John Okony Yor, a director general at the state ministry of physical infrastructure.
According to the senior police officer, Okony was shot and killed by unidentified gunmen between Hai Malakia and Hai Jalaba at around 8 pm.
The police commissioner said the motive behind the killing of the director-general remains unclear.
“No arrests have been made until now, and the motive behind the killing is unknown. The security forces in Malakal are searching for the perpetrators,” Chol said.
Major General Chol attributed the recurrence of murder incidents and other crimes in the town of Malakal to the proliferation of arms in the hands of civilians.
Meanwhile, Luk Sadallah Deng, the state minister of information, condemned the killing of the director general at the ministry of physical infrastructure. He called on the security forces to apprehend the culprits to face the law.
“We are working as state government to bring about peace, but such incidents are still happening, so we call on our security forces to apprehend the perpetrators,” Luk said.
The state minister offered condolences to Okony’s family and employees at the ministry of physical infrastructure. “This is a great loss for us as the government of Upper Nile and for all who knew him,” he said.
The murder is the fourth of its kind, involving senior officials in Malakal town. No arrests have been made so far.