A man suspected of fatally shooting a woman and wounding a 12-year-old boy along the Hiyalla–Oguruny road in Torit County of Eastern Equatoria State has been arrested, local authorities said on Wednesday.
The suspect was arrested in an overnight operation led by Eddy William Ponsiano, the caretaker commissioner of Torit County and mayor of Torit Municipality, following the attack, which killed a woman identified only as Aku and injured a 12-year-old boy, Jackson.
According to Commissioner Ponsiano, the woman was travelling along the Hiyalla–Oguruny road after going to Imotong in search of sorghum when she was shot.
“The suspect has been arrested and is now under investigation in Torit,” Ponsiano told reporters.
He said authorities transported the woman’s body from Hiyalla to her home village of Haforiere for burial, while the injured boy was taken to Torit State Hospital for treatment.
Ponsiano said security forces acted swiftly after receiving reports of the shooting and credited local communities with helping track down the suspect.
“The communities that helped us apprehend the suspect deserve appreciation,” he said. “The roads must be free.”
He said the Monyiemiji youth groups in Hiyalla and Calamine would each receive SSP 1 million in recognition of their support for the operation.
Eastern Equatoria Governor Louis Lobong Lojore welcomed the arrest, describing it as an important step toward ensuring justice and preventing retaliatory violence.
“The suspect has been arrested after allegedly shooting the woman for no reason,” Lobong said, urging residents to allow the legal process to take its course.
He also appealed for calm and called on communities to maintain peace ahead of the country’s planned elections.
Michael Obusuk, a community leader in Iloli, said residents mobilized after receiving information about the shooting and worked with local authorities to prevent the suspect from fleeing.
According to Obusuk, community members detained the suspect before handing him over to security officials.
“We are happy the suspect has been arrested,” he said. “We do not want such incidents to happen again.”
Obusuk urged communities across Eastern Equatoria to cooperate with law enforcement by reporting criminal suspects rather than resorting to revenge attacks.
He also appealed to the victim’s family to remain calm and pursue justice through the courts.
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