Nimule police chief shot amid violence

JUBA — The Police Inspector for Nimule in Eastern Equatoria state Major David Kasmiro has been injured after he was shot during an attempt by police forces he commanded to disperse crowd who had staged a sit-in in the middle of the road.

According to eye witnesses and security sources, the sit-in was staged following clashes between Bor and local Ma’adi communities.

Violence broke out on Monday morning between the two communities after a group of armed youth suspected to be from Bor attacked a local community meeting of the Ma’adi killing Chief John Ebele of the Anzara.

Speaking to Sudans Post, an eye witness said Maj. Kasmiro was trying to undo a sit in staged by local community members to mourn the killing of people killed on 9 July and the chief who was killed this morning.

“At around 4 pm, protestors had put a tent and carried the corpse of 2 people who were killed in Mugali on 9th July and the Chief in the morning all on the road. The police tried to disperse them but it was brutal and in the process the police chief was wounded in the left leg,” the source said.

Separately, two security sources confirmed to Sudans Post the wounding of the local police chief.

“Major David Kasmiro was shot moments ago by protesting crowd when he was urging the people involved in a sit in to go home to allow the police to serve justice,” one security source told Sudans Post on condition of anonymity from Nimule town.

The other security source said the senior police officer was home because the wound was not a major one and had responded to medication and is doing well.

“He is already home because the wound is not big. It is small in his left leg and he has already responded to medication,” the security source said.

IMMEDIATE GOV’T INTERVENTION

Edmund Yakani, the Executive Director of Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), said the situation needs an immediate settlement and government intervention.

“The situation of Nimule requires urgent political settlement from Juba,” Yakani told Sudans Post.

“Killing a chief extrajudicially is a criminal case that requires immediate intervention to bring all those problems to an end once and for all,” he added.