Augustino Kiri Gwolo, Yei River state’s deputy governor and a colonel in the army, has died in the Juba Medical Complex on Tuesday afternoon. He was 44.

Relatives told Radio Tamazuj on Tuesday that Kiri died of natural causes. They explained that Kiri was suffering from yellow fever and spent more than a week in Yei town before being admitted for a check-up in Juba.

Several government officials describe Kiri’s death as a great loss to members of the state government.

Kiri had served as a diplomat in the South Sudanese embassy in Nigeria and commissioner of Lainya County.

Meanwhile, the state government declared five days of mourning in honour of the deputy governor who passed away in Juba.