Eastern Equatoria State officials say they arrested a suspect in connection with the ambush shooting of a bodaboda rider along the Torit-Juba road on Friday evening.
The suspect is said to have shot and injured the rider identified as 22-year-old David Kulang and taken off with his motorcycle at Jebel Cottony.
Aliandro Lotok, the press secretary in the office of the state governor, told Radio Tamazuj that Kulang was rescued by the governor’s convoy and was rushed to hospital for treatment.
He said the suspect is currently in police custody awaiting trial.
“A Boda-Boda rider was going to Juba around Jebel Cottony, we met him standing in the middle of the road. We had to stop. He was shot and his motorcycle was taken,” Lotok said. “But the suspect has been arrested and the wounded person is receiving treatment at Torit State Referral Hospital.”
He stated, “We condemn this in the strongest terms possible and we urge the young people of this state to be hardworking and not to take somebody’s properties.”
While calling on the people to desist from crimes, Lotok said any criminal activities that threaten security and movement of people and goods in the state will be dealt with.
“We want to tell our people that every route that passes through your territory, you must protect it. The youth must make sure that no criminals are destabilizing the transport of the public vehicle and any vehicle that is applying this road in this state. The government will not lie low and allow things to go like that, lawbreakers will be dealt with,” he warned.
The deputy medical director at Torit State Hospital, Santina Ikoki, confirmed that the young man was receiving medical attention at the hospital.