The police in Wau town in Western Bahr el Ghazal State on Tuesday arrested a policewoman and a lumberjack for inadvertently killing a woman and her infant daughter.
The state’s acting police commissioner, Major General James Simon, said that they detained a 35-year-old policewoman identified as Akona Kang and a man called Garang Aboi who the former had hired to cut down a tree in her compound.
The tree reportedly fell and killed a 25-year-old woman identified as Sara Achot James and her 4-year-old daughter, Achai James.
“Today (Tuesday) in the morning we had an accident and for the law, it is an accident but it can be understood as negligence. The accident happened in Nazareth and the person involved is called Akona Kang, she is Sergeant in police,” he explained. “She hired somebody called Garang Aboi to go and cut down a tree in her compound but when the tree fell down, it killed two people.”
Gen. Simon said the duo was immediately apprehended and a case has been filed against them.
“When we received the information, we immediately dispatched police forces to the area of the accident together with an investigator and now the two culprits have been arrested and taken to the jail,” he said. “The case will be forward to the court and be in front of a judge in two days.”
The police chief urged the public to be cautious and mindful of how their actions affect others in the community.
“This is an accident but the reason behind it is negligence. In any situation, if you want to do anything at your home, you have to inform your neighbor,” he cautioned. “You are also supposed to get permission from the agriculture ministry which can provide you an expert, those who know how to cut down trees.”