The Governor of Torit State is accusing some individuals living in Juba for giving out guns to the youth for laying road ambushes.
In a press briefing on Monday, Governor Tobiolo Alberio Oromo says the guns used for looting are hired in exchange of some percentage of the things they rob.
Radio Emmanuel quoted the governor assuring the public that those involved in such incidents will be arrested and charged.
‘The guns they are using, the owners of the guns are said to be in Juba. And they are renting, they are hiring those guns. Once they have looted, and the owner of the gun will be given his share. So this is a serious issue that we are taking it very serious to apprehend the owners of the guns. And they will be questioned of ‘why are they doing this?’ And in my statement of last year, I was telling to the politicians of Lafon that please don’t send ammunition or weapons to your youths to be used against innocent people. We have already arrested three of them, one is wounded and still running in the bush. Members of the communities have promised to apprehend the rest and will be brought to book’, he cautions.
While confirming the arrest of some robbers, Governor Alberio says looting along Torit–Juba road has been happening since last year.
He however urges the affected communities to allow the law to take its course.
‘The people who have been ambushing vehicles from Kor Lakabata, in Kor Melish have been arrested and these are the youth from Koromi, Lafon County. They have been disturbing these roads since 2017. The last looting that was in July when one of the women identified with those criminals and it was confirmed that they are the same criminals who conducted the raiding in July this year. And they are the very one who shot the medical doctor in Kudo. I advise the Lokuya community not to take the law into their hands. We don’t want any communal fighting to happen again in one of the parts of this great state’, he explains.
Alberio claims the suspects of the last incident that happened in Kor-Lakabata will be brought to Torit once the people supplying them guns are arrested.
The governor says his government is committed to give peace a chance despite the isolated criminal acts.