The Bishop-elect for Rumbek Catholic Diocese who was shot last night is nursing bullet wounds at a health facility, according ACI Africa.
“Our Bishop-elect was shot last night. He is currently receiving treatment at CUAMM hospital in Rumbek,” ACI Africa reported early morning Monday.
“The incident happened at 12.45 last night. I heard the Bishop-elect shouting,” Fr. Andrea Osman of Rumbek Diocese who was in his room next door told ACI Africa.
“The two people were armed. I tried to knock the door of my door from inside so that I can scare them away, but they didn’t seem bothered,” Fr. Andrea said.
He added that the armed men targeted the Bishop-elect, a testimony confirmed by the Rumbek-based head of logistics for the South Sudanese Diocese, Abednego Marol who was also scared away with gun shots.
“The armed men targeted his Bishop-elect room. They knocked the door and started shooting the door till they broke it. They shot the door till it opened,” Mr. Marol told ACI Africa.
He added that “after they shot the Bishop, they ran away. It is really a targeted shooting.”
Fr. Andrea confirmed that “When they (armed men) saw me, they told me to go away. One of them fired two bullets at me. The shots landed on the chair behind him.
He added that “I think they shot him three bullets, two on one leg and the other one on the other leg. This is what happened. He was shot in front of his door.”
Fr Osman said he is in a stable condition, a source said, quoting a doctor attending to the Bishop-elect, adding that doctors have controlled the heavy bleeding.
Plans are underway to airlift him to Nairobi, Kenya, through African Medical and Research Foundation.
The Italian-born Comboni Missionary Cleric was appointed Bishop for Rumbek Diocese on March 8 and his consecration was scheduled for Pentecost Sunday, May 23.