By Hou Akot Hou
Police have arrested five young suspects accused of breaking into a shop in Aroyo, the county headquarters, and stealing 3 million SSP (South Sudanese Pounds) along with 24 cartons of biscuits and a motorcycle.
“These young men broke into a building, removed the iron sheet roof, and took 3 million Pounds, 24 cartons of biscuits, 22 cartons of cigarettes and beer, which are all very valuable items,” said Garang Wol, the Director of Police.
Wol explained that the suspects were part of a local gang who had been previously arrested and pardoned by the county court last week for similar offences.
However, they have now been apprehended again.
The police discovered a trail of spilled sugar leading them to a nearby forest, where one of the suspects attempted to fight the officers. The police fired three warning shots into the air, ultimately leading to the arrests.
The looted items belonged to an Ethiopian trader who was trying to run his business in Aroyo, located far from the main town of Aweil.
Wol warned residents against targeting foreign and local business owners, stating that the law will take its course as the investigation into the masterminds of this “heinous act” continues.
Guot Ugieth, the chairperson of the traders’ union, echoed the severity of such incidents, stating that they have been on the rise since May.
Last week, a similar incident occurred in Madhol payam of Aweil East county, where a young businessman transporting goats to Juba for sale was robbed of 3 million Pounds.
The accused are currently being interrogated, and two of them are in custody after several attempts to identify the thieves among a group of six boys.