At least three suspected armed criminals were gunned down and another apprehended at Green Horizon Farm along the Torit-Bur Road in Torit County in Eastern Equatoria State on Tuesday
The incident happened when authorities dispatched security forces to a scene of crime to investigate a case of highway robbery. The forces followed the footmarks of the armed robbers and later exchanged fire, leading to the killing of three suspected criminals and the injury of their leader. In a bizarre turn of events, the latter later escaped according to authorities.
Earlier this month, authorities registered two cases of road ambushes and robberies along the Torit-Juba Highway.
Torit County Commissioner Christopher Andrew told Radio Tamazuj that the suspected criminals were killed on Tuesday at around 2:30 p.m. and that security forces are following the rest of the group in the bushes.
“There have been two robbery cases along the Juba-Torit Highway in Khor Lahkabata and Lolere and we are still monitoring those criminals,” he explained. “On Tuesday afternoon, three criminals were killed and one was arrested and he claimed to be the leader of the group but he later escaped. These criminals have their assembly point very close to that farm and that is why the operation was done there to attack them but they also fired back.”
For his part, Mustafa Albino Zachariah, Mayor of Torit Municipal Council, said the same criminals have been terrorizing Torit Town and its environs.
“These criminals have a camp at Green Horizon Farm where they drink alcohol and at night they come up to Iluhum disturbing people along the roads. These are these same criminals who rob people along the roads and they were found with people’s properties such as bicycles, iron sheets, mobile phones, money, and other items,” he said. “They (criminals) were disturbing people in town and the Iluhum and Ngasira areas. The security forces went to their hideout and the criminals started shooting, the forces shot back in self-defense and killed three thugs and injured one.
Meanwhile, Vitale Abure, a civil society activist, condemned the alarming insecurity within towns and along roads in the state and urged the government to contain the vice.
“Everybody should live in freedom and justice and Eastern Equatoria should have a promising future,” he stated. “All forms of insecurity in Eastern Equatoria State should end so that we can advance our state,”