The local authorities in Rumbek East County, Lakes State, have arrested chiefs, the father of a murder suspect, and seized the latter’s cattle after he accidentally shot and killed a young man identified as Matuek Mapuor Meen Mathiang in Aguoc cattle camp and fled.
According to sources, the suspect was a friend of the deceased from whom he intended to buy a prize bull. The friends who were in a celebratory mode were singing the bull’s praises, and the suspect was shooting in the air shortly before the accidental but fatal shooting in Aguoc cattle camp in Rumbek East County last Thursday.
Rumbek East County Commissioner Malual Anyuon confirmed to Radio Tamazuj that the would-be buyer of the bull inadvertently killed the seller.
“The government has intervened heavily to seize all the cows which belonged to the suspect and confiscated them, and the chiefs and his father are all apprehended”, he said. “All these people and the cows will remain in government custody until the suspect is handed over to authorities.”
“The government will continue to investigate because many people said it was an accidental crossfire, but as a government, we must make sure that the suspect is brought to book,” Commissioner Anyuon added.
He said the suspect will explain what happened.
“The suspect who wanted to buy a bull and accidentally killed a person is from the Pajaar Clan, and they are friends with the deceased young man who was from the Pabuong Clan of the Dhiei Section,” he explained. “I intervened, and the situation is now calm because they are one people in one cattle camp and they have no history of clan conflicts between them. This mistake occurred, and it was not intentional or planned by anyone.”
For his part, Daniel Laat Kon, a civil society activist in Lakes State, said it is time that people learn that using guns recklessly has consequences.
“Our people should take care of themselves, and our call in this situation is that there is a need for calm. Community members, especially the family of the deceased, should leave the matter to the authorities to handle amicably without escalation into a serious confrontation,” he said. “An accident should remain an accident, and people should also be mindful of how they take care of their guns, because if you shoot randomly, you can kill a person unintentionally.”
He urged the government to regulate the use of firearms by civilians if they are not willing to disarm people.
“We have been asking the state government to do disarmament, but they are not taking any steps. We call for the regulation of guns and urge that perpetrators be held accountable,” Laat said. “This is the only way to create stability.”
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