Lawmaker faults deputy governor for ‘assassination attempt’

JUBA, MARCH 1, 2023 (SUDANS POST) – A South Sudan lawmaker representing the main armed opposition Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO) in Western Equatoria state parliament has claimed that he survived an assassination attempt organized by the deputy governor.

Honorable Torosa Elia who defected from President Kiir-led SPLM-IG las month said he was attacked at a check appoint after returning from visiting a sick relative and identified all the 12 alleged attackers as bodyguards of the deputy governor.

“What happened is, this morning my family members called me that my grandfather is sick seriously and need an attention, when I went, we passed the check point peaceful, because I went with one guard, on our return, we were stopped in the same check point,” he claimed in a statement.

“After I stopped my bike, I saw more than 12 soldiers all body guards of Deputy Governor, they wanted to disarm the guard I was with, but because we are all well trained veteran soldiers, their plan didn’t succeed but thank God all of us are find and gunshot was not involved because we respect the law,” he alleged.

The now opposition lawmaker who abandoned Kiir’s party less than a month ago claimed that he know all the twelve soldiers he alleges to be bodyguards of deputy Governor Kennedy Ganiko by name and said it is the second time for him to be attacked.

“Because I am a law-abiding citizen, I didn’t take laws into my own hand, I am confident that our security forces will handle this outrageous attack against me and my people and will bring the perpetrators to book regardless of who you are,” he said.