An officer of the Wildlife Service identified Lt. Mary Marcelo Lino died while two other passengers, including a 7-month-old infant, sustained injuries after a police vehicle they were traveling in overturned along Torit-Kapoeta highway in Eastern Equatoria State.
According to sources, the freak accident happened after the vehicle which was traveling from Torit to Ikotos caught fire and lost control.
Lieutenant Adam Satiro, the director of crime at Eastern Equatoria State Traffic Police Department, told Radio Tamazuj at the weekend that the police vehicle overturned at around 1:30 p.m. on Friday due to speeding. He said the wildlife officer died on the spot while the two injured passengers were taken to Torit State Hospital for medication.
“On Friday afternoon, an accident occurred along the Torit-Kapoeta road in Haforiere Boma involving a police vehicle traveling from Torit to Ikotos. The wildlife officer came from Juba and was going to Ikotos with her child. However, upon reaching Haforiere, the vehicle developed a technical problem and lost power because it was at a very high speed,” he explained. “There were potholes and the child flew out of her mother’s hands and the latter tried to rescue the child but she failed and the vehicle overturned into the bush. The mother hit her head and died.”
Lt. Satiro added: “The child of the deceased and another passenger aged 29 also sustained injuries.”
Meanwhile, Mustafa Lokuru, the Medical Director at Torit State Hospital, confirmed that the injured passengers were at the facility receiving treatment.
He however decried the lack of medicine and surgical equipment at the hospital, saying it hinders their interventions during emergencies and that most patients have to buy their drugs from nearby pharmacies and clinics.
“We had two casualties brought to the hospital on Friday and they are receiving proper treatment at the surgical ward but the mother died and left her 7-month-old child who is not badly injured,” he stated. “The patients are receiving the treatment at Torit State Hospital but we do not have drugs here and some patients buy them from the clinic outside.”
For his part, Lieutenant Emmanuel Siliman of the Wildlife Service in Torit said they were saddened by the passing of their colleague and accused the driver of recklessness.
“We are currently mourning because of the sudden death of our colleague who has taken long without visiting her family because she works in Juba. I urge my colleagues and drivers in general to observe traffic rules and regulations,” he said. “The role of the driver is to protect the life of passengers and I send condolences to the family of the deceased and urge them to take courage, for God gives and takes.”
Betty Loki, a women’s activist in Eastern Equatoria State, strongly condemned what she referred to as irresponsible driving by drivers from the different forces.
She also accused the government of not properly handling the body of the deceased, saying it was dumped in the mortuary without arrangements for her burial.
“This is a very bad accident and we cannot blame anyone. However, what pains us a lot is that when this incident happened, the body of the deceased was unceremoniously dumped at the mortuary,” she said. “The driver should have also been more careful and explained the condition car. When driving a vehicle, do not drink alcohol or speed. Our government should devise laws to guide drivers and motorcyclists.”
On the same Friday, a water tanker also overturned three times along the Torit-Kapoeta highway, critically injuring the driver who was referred to Juba Teaching Hospital for further treatment.