The SPLA-IO faction allied to former First Vice President Riek Machar said that they are still holding the commissioner of Kangapo County captive more than a month after opposition fighters abducted him in Yei River State.

 In early December, gunmen affiliated to SPLA-IO troops abducted the commissioner of Kangapo County Julius Tabule and three of his security guards and a car driver in Bori Payam during Sunday worship services at a church in the area.

Gen.John Jok, commander of the SPLA-IO in Central Equatoria, told Radio Tamazuj yesterday that the abducted commissioner of Kangapo County is fine and that they are still holding him in areas under their control in Yei River State.

“The kidnapped commissioner is here with us, we will not kill him, because he is our son, we in the SPLA-IO, we capture people but we don’t kill them,” said Jok.

The top rebel commander claimed that the government of Yei River State arrested several local youth in coincidence with Taban Deng’s visit to the area last week.

Radio Tamazuj couldn’t reach government officials in Yei to comment on the matter.

File photo: