The suspect, identified as Wek Wek Wek, allegedly lured Akec, a boda boda rider, to transport him from Gok-Machar to Chier-Kou Payam in Aweil West County and shot him in an attempt to steal his motorbike, according to local authorities.
Chol Duang, the Director of Information for Aweil West County, told this publication on Friday that the incident, which occurred two weeks ago, shocked local residents. “The suspect, Wek Wek Wek, hired Akec Khon Angok to take him from Gok-Machar in Aweil North County to Chier-Kou in Aweil West County, offering him 50,000 SSP. Halfway through the journey, in a forested area, the suspect pulled out a pistol and shot Akec in the left side of his face,” Duang explained.
Duang added that the suspect fled with the motorbike, leaving Akec unconscious and bleeding heavily after narrowly escaping death. “The perpetrator was apprehended by Criminal Investigation Department (CID) personnel in Abul, and the victim, Akec, is currently receiving treatment at Gok-Machar health facility,” he said.
According to Duang, the suspect is being held at Nyamlel Police Station, where CID officers are interrogating him. The victim will also be brought to the station to provide his account before the case is forwarded to the attorney’s office.
Duang attributed such incidents to a lack of employment opportunities, noting that this is the second similar case in Aweil West and North Counties. He referenced a prior incident earlier this year when an individual lured a motorbike rider to Kiir-Adem, near the Sudan border, shot him, and fled with the motorbike to Darfur. That case is currently under investigation by peace committees.
Duang urged boda boda riders to exercise caution and avoid accepting long-distance trips with passengers whose backgrounds are unknown, regardless of the amount offered.
