By Manas James
Police in Jonglei State capital, Bor town are holding 27 members of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan (ECSS) who were engaged in a fistfight over leadership of a church in Bor town on Sunday.
Members of rival ECSS factions in Jonglei State clashed on Sunday. The brawls started when one group blocked another rival group led by a bishop from accessing premises of ECSS’ Langbar Church.
In an interview with No. 1 Citizen Daily Newspaper yesterday, Maj. Gen. Elia Costa Faustino, the state police commissioner said they were tipped off while the fistfights were ongoing and that they intervened immediately, restoring calm and arresting 27 individuals from the two rival factions.
“What happened during the Sunday’s service at 8 am was that a bishop belonging to Makuach Diocese led a group of worshippers for prayers to the Langbar church over which he claims authority. On arriving, they were blocked by another group which said the church is loyal to Bor Diocese,” he narrated. “This triggered a fistfight within the church.”
He added, “We were tipped off immediately and our forces went to the scene. We arrested 20 people from one group and 7 from the other.”
Gen. Costa said those arrested were being investigated.
“On Monday morning, we forwarded the case to the attorney to be forwarded to the courts, but it was forwarded back to us that further investigations be conducted. Now, these suspects are under our detention and undergoing investigation. This case is liked to rivalry within the ECSS church which started in 2019. These people will be tried in court as soon as our investigation concludes.”