Authorities in Western Bahr el Ghazal State have sent a team of investigators to Raja county to investigate the killing of a 15-year-old boy, Gismalah Tom, who was killed at school on Friday, allegedly by his teacher, Arkangelo.

According to an eyewitness, the incident caused heightened tension in the area between the family of the late student and the accused teacher.

Speaking to Radio Tamazuj, the Commissioner of Raja County, Hassan Jalab confirmed that an investigation committee has been sent from Wau to Deim Zubeir.

“A group of students, including the victim, were subjected to corporal punishment by the teacher after they were found at a disco dance in the area. The Headmaster of the school prohibited any student from going to the dance. The boys were given seven lashes but the one collapsed after one lash and died on the spot,” explained the commissioner.

He explained that “the disco is known for training boys and girls to become outlaws”.

The Commissioner told Radio Tamazuj that the committee comprises Chief of Police, South Sudan Relief Coordinator Peter Nenebubu, and the County Education Coordinator “to deter the family of the deceased and the teacher from fighting each other and to contain the situation”.

“We will wait for the outcome of the investigation before we can do anything,” said the commissioner.

A senior County Officer said that “the investigation will cover all the circumstances that surround the event of the killing and the medical situation of the deceased student; whether he died of the punishment or an illness”.

Peter Nenebubu, SSRC coordinator in Raja County, confirmed that they have gone “to contain the situation and to pay their condolences to the family of the late student”.

“The situation was very bad. If we had not reached the place of the killing in Ojuku in Deim Zubeir, the two parties were squaring-up for a terrible fight after a relative of the boy came from Wau but we managed to contain the situation,” he said.

The officer said that they encouraged the two sides to stop any conflict and to wait for the law to take its course as the matter has reached the government

“The issue is now in the hands of the government and the teacher accused of the killing is under police custody in Deim Zubeir waiting for justice to take its course,” he said.

He confirmed that the situation at the moment is calm and promised his government will visit to area again in order to encourage peace.

He noted that Section 21 of the South Sudan Child Act 2008 prohibits the use of corporal punishment on any child.

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