A South Sudan Defence Forces SSPDF soldier committed suicide after killing his wife in the New Bongo residential area in Juba on Wednesday.
Acting SSPDF spokesman Brigadier General Santo Domic told Radio Tamazuj that the motive behind the incident is still unknown but investigations have been launched.
“The person who killed himself was a captain by rank and his name is Deng Tong Akol from the military police protection force. The incident happened on the 20th where he decided to kill his wife at 11 pm then he moved away from the house and then later shot himself because the body was found in the morning," said Domic.
"The incident had taken place in the New Bongo, these are new cottages around the northern part of Bilpam headquarters. The motive is still to be identified. I have asked many people around but no information, it is very unfortunate. He was about 38 to 39, just a young man," he added.
While he acknowledged that suicide cases are not unique to the SSPDF, or South Sudan alone, Domic pleaded with people who have suicidal thoughts to seek counseling services.
“My message to the comrades in the SSPDF, we have to learn perseverance should you get yourself in such a situation. I would advise our people if you run into a misunderstanding with yourselves, seek advice from elderly people to advise you,"
South Sudan has one of the highest suicide rates in the world, a World Health Organization report shows.
According to the report released last week, South Sudan ranks at position 13 out of 172 countries surveyed. About 20 out of 100,000 people in South Sudan ended their life in 2012, the report says.