One killed in clash between locals and suspected land grabbers outside Juba

JUBA – A confrontation between suspected land grabbers and locals at Jebel Lado of Lado Payam, Juba County, has resulted in one fatality and one injury.

The clash erupted on Tuesday afternoon after police intervened to remove the suspected land grabbers.

According to local sources, a hidden assailant fatally shot a community member, Charles Gore, triggering the violence.

“The police had come to send them [landgrabbers] away from the scene, but someone who was hiding shot Charles. Nobody saw him and this resulted in the clashes between the people here and the landgrabbers,” said a local source.

Police spokesman Maj. Gen. Daniel Justin confirmed the incident but couldn’t provide the exact casualty count.

“I am not sure of the exact number of the people who have been wounded or killed. What I know is that a young man from the community there was killed and one other person was wounded and this is what I have for now,” he stated.

The Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) denounced the incident, calling upon the Central Equatoria state government to intervene and prevent further escalation.

“CEPO is urging the government of Central Equatoria state to prevent the occurrence of deadly violence between land grabbers and host communities of Lado Payam around Jebel Lado of Juba County,” said the statement signed by the group’s Executive Director Edmund Yakani.

“Land governance in Central Equatoria state is likely to trigger deadly violence. The national parliament must act on this matter if the government of Central Equatoria state fails to produce immediate remedies,” he added.