By James Innocent
A calm dawn of Luparate Boma, Yei River County, was shattered early yesterday, when a vigilant local chief apprehended three men, red-handed butchering a freshly stolen sheep.
The trio, allegedly notorious thieves, ran out of luck around 5:00 AM. Bring a stark reality of rising crime, fueled by dire economic hardship, to the forefront in Yei River County.
Chief Thomas Bala Hillary of Luparate Boma, detailing the dramatic capture, stating personally nabbing the trio.
“James Taban Piro, Samuel Duku Abondio, and James Wani Samuel, were dismembering the animal,” he said.
According to the chief, this was not an isolated incident but the culmination of a long-running crime spree that had plagued the residents.
“The criminals have been stealing for a very long time in the area,” Chief Bala declared. “Many people have been complaining about their presence. So, their forty days have come towards their arrest.”
He confirmed the suspects were handed over to face the law.
The incident casts a harsh light on the struggles facing young people in the county. The reporter’s initial assessment noted that “economic hardship has forced the young people to resort into stealing and joining bad fear groups in the community.”
Chief Bala urged youth to turn towards agriculture rather than preying on their neighbors, despite the current economic pressures.
One of the accused, James Taban Piro, claimed the sheep belonged to a friend from Mukaya Payam whom they were merely assisting.
He said they helping the man so that they could sell it out.
He alleged their arrest stemmed from their inability to produce a “sheep letter”, documentation authorizing the sale, when demanded by the chief.
This arrest comes as community leaders grapple with youth misbehavior.
Gaga Frank, a Yei youth leader, had recently advised young people to focus on agriculture and shun “wrong groups without any prosperity and future,” acknowledging the severe economic hardship.
He further appealed to partners, religious leaders, and the government to implement vocational training programs to provide direction and employment for idle youth.