South Sudanese church leader accuses army over gruesome murders

By Staff Writer for now

The Archbishop of South Sudan Internal Province of Central Equatoria State has laid blame on the country’s army for the murder of church members last weekend.

The four murdered included a church leader, a ten year old and two others, according to Archbishop Paul Benjamin Yugusuk.

The deceased Parish Priest of Gumbiri Parish, of Loka Archdeaconry, Diocese of Lainya, was “hand-picked” together with the others while presiding over Sunday Service, the Yugusuk said in a statement on June 1.

A video on social media also showed him squaring up the army over the murder.

Reached by phone, army spokesman, Lul Ruai Koang said investigation into the gruesome murders will soon commence.

According to Yugusuk, others murdered included the ten year old Sunday school boy, a Church elder  who is also the area Sub Chief   and  a headman .  

“The church condemns these atrocities in the strongest terms,” Yugusuk said.

“We call upon the chief of South Sudan People’s Defense ForcesGeneral Santino Deng Wol to immediately investigate these arrests and human rights violations,” he said.

“We demand the responsible persons be arrested and prosecuted.”

He accused the army of also looting goats, chicken, cloths, and money in Kuturjo residential areas as well as torching houses in Loka Round in Longera and several other locations including Darape, Lokirarat, Nyaporo, Kengwe, Rego and Lomilikin.

Three people among 13 others arrested from the area have not been released, Yugusuk said while demanding for their immediate release.

“We demand a comprehensive accountability for these atrocities,” he said. 

Army spokesman Koang denied wrongdoing by the army.

The information has “reached the attention of the chief of defense force, Gen. Santino Deng Wol who promised to carry out an investigation because the level of accusation is so serious,” he said by phone.