By Yang Ater Yang
A 21-year-old man, Laat Dut Theem, drowned in a large pit left behind by a road construction company.
According to Major Elijah Mabor Makuac, Lakes State Police Spokesperson, the incident took place in the Cuei-adukan area.
The pit, once used to extract marram for road construction, had filled with water during the rainy season.
“All the boys and children used to go there to swim in that stagnant water, but unfortunately this boy drowned and never appeared at all,” Major Makuac explained.
Despite extensive search efforts involving local authorities and UNMISS, the body was not recovered until the following morning. The body was found trapped in the muddy depths of the pit.
This is the latest in a series of fatal accidents linked to the construction pits.
Major Makuac expressed concerns over the recurring incidents and urged parents to closely monitor their children.
“These cases are always happening since road construction started. There are so many holes being dug by ARC Construction Company and there is no proper protection,” he warned.
Daniel Laat Kon, the CEPO State Coordinator, called for the need for safety measures to prevent future tragedies.
“We have been engaging these communities, and the government to make sure that during road construction such holes that are dug should be far away from where people’s residential areas or they should also be protected by putting a wire fence around so that to protect children from going there,” Kon stated.
The officials called for awareness and government intervention to address such issues.