By Jacob Onuha Nelson
The Minister of Information in Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA), Jacob Werchum Duke, has denied killings in Lokiliri Payam of Central Equatoria State.
In an exclusive phone interview with this outlet, the Minister termed the accusation as false and malicious, intended to destroy the image of their youth.
“That accusation, brother, is baseless. Because if Lokiliri Payam falls under the area of GPAA, that’s when maybe the accuser might be attempting to accuse the people of the Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA). I just wanted to say we have not heard of this, and our youth did not go there,” Werchum said.
He called on the government to investigate the incident.
The denial followed a recent incident where two family members were killed and five children abducted.
After the incident, authorities in Lokiliri Payam of Juba County pointed fingers at youth from Greater Pibor for abducting the kids.
The minister emphasized that the communities should consider the geographical area among GPAA, Eastern Equatoria State, and Central Equatoria State.
“Another one: people also should consider the graphical area of the location where things are happening. You should not just mention an area that is very far from where the incidents occurred; we have no report that our youth are in that area to cause havoc or to do anything,” Werchum urged the communities.
Werchum stated that the government should investigate the incident to bring the perpetrators to book rather than the communities assuming Pibor youths.
“So let local authorities investigate from within the nearby areas where these incidents occurred. And let them pursue the perpetrators if indeed these incidents happened there,” Werchum stated.
However, earlier this week the local authorities from Lokiliri Payam reported the killings of two people and an abduction.