Female PLE candidate raped and murdered near Juba, criminals still at large

JUBA – A 19-year-old girl, identified as Lilian Henry Musa Dion, was reportedly raped and murdered in the Molobur area of Jebel Lado Payam while preparing for her primary eight examinations.

The tragedy has sent shockwaves through the community, with residents accusing land-grabbing gangs of orchestrating the attack.

According to her uncle, Edward Dion, who also serves as a Member of Parliament representing Lado East Payam in the Central Equatoria State legislative assembly, Lilian was attacked after stepping out of her school to take a phone call.

“She was a pupil at Gwerekek Primary School, sitting for her primary eight examinations,” Edward said.

“While revising with her classmates, she left the classroom around 8 PM to answer a phone call near the washroom when she was assaulted, raped, and hanged by criminals suspected to be land-grabbers,” he added.

A medical report confirmed that the young woman was gang-raped before being killed.

This incident comes months after three young men were shot and killed in the same area, also allegedly by land-grabbers

Juba County Commissioner, Engineer Emmanuel Tete Ezbon, condemned the heinous act during the victim’s burial, pledging to bring the perpetrators to justice and combat the ongoing threat posed by land-grabbing gangs in the area.

“We will leave no stone unturned until the culprits are brought to book,” said Ezbon. “The land gangs tormenting the residents of Jebel Lado will be uprooted. This is not just about land but about the safety and dignity of our people.”

Residents of Molobur and Bori villages have long complained about escalating violence linked to land disputes, accusing armed groups of forcibly evicting families and assaulting those who resist.

Community members are demanding stronger government action to address the violence and hold the perpetrators accountable.

The attack on Lilian highlights the dire humanitarian situation in Jebel Lado, exacerbated by flooding that has displaced thousands.

Recent data indicates that over 15,000 people have been affected by floods in Lado Payam and neighboring areas, worsening living conditions for families already grappling with insecurity and displacement.

Community leaders have called for urgent government intervention to provide security, enforce land rights, and improve humanitarian assistance in the region.

Authorities have launched an investigation into Lilian’s murder but have yet to announce any arrests.

Residents, meanwhile, are mourning the loss of a bright young woman whose life was tragically cut short.