By Gladys Fred Kole
A 25-year-old soldier is being held in police custody together with a 13-year-old boy who shot his cousin brother dead in Bor County, Jonglei State.
The soldier is remanded for investigation over neglect of a gun, which was used by the teenage to kill his cousin.
On Tuesday, October 31, 2023, at around 2 p.m. in the Malingthor checkpoint of Kolnyang Payam in Bor County, a teenage boy identified as Yor Manhiem Bol was shot dead.
Jonglei State Police Commissioner Major General Elia Costa confirmed the incident to No. 1 Citizen Daily Newspaper, yesterday.
He said teenager accidentally shot his cousin brother Yor in the nose while playing with a gun they took from his uncle, Ajak Bol’s shop.
“The two boys entered the shop of their relative and found a gun there. They took it and started playing with it, so, one shot the age mate, who died on the spot,” Maj. Gen. Costa narrated the incident.
However, the police commissioner noted that the situation has been brought under control as the gun owner and the suspect who shot the boy are in police custody.
He added that the police will do a thorough investigation of the incident.
“We arrested two suspects, the suspect and the owner of the gun, for more investigation, and as the police, we will do an investigation and then refer the case to court; it is the court to decide.” he lamented.
Since gaining independence from Sudan, South Sudan has been grappling with the issue of small firearms control that is rampant in the hands of civilians, especially pastoralist communities, and soldiers who also carry their guns home.
In July, this year, the cabinet passed and directed the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Ruben Madol Arol, to present the amended Civil Disarmament Bill 2023 to parliament for consideration.
The disarmament bill was issued as a provisional order by President Salva Kiir in December 2020, but it has yet to be presented to the parliament for scrutiny before becoming law after the president ascents.
In 2020, at least 127 people were killed in clashes between armed civilians and government forces carrying out a disarmament exercise in the northern Tonj area of Warrap State.
Information minister and government spokesperson, Michael Makuei, explained that the bill is meant to disarm the civil population, noting that the government had been facing a lot of difficulties in carrying out the disarmament process.
The Minister hoped that the bill, once passed, would be operationalized and would contribute a lot to bringing peace and stability to the country.