SSPDF officer dies, 18 passengers injured after road accident in Nimule

TORIT – A military officer belonging to the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) officer was killed and 18 passengers were injured when a bus overturned in Nimule town of the country’s Eastern Equatoria State on Sunday, police said on Monday.

Captain Peter Mayol was struck by the Eco Bus Company vehicle as he waited for transport to the border town, police said. The bus, which plies the Juba-Kampala route, was subsequently involved in an accident at Jebel Milee.

Major Elliza Bil Mapwor, Nimule’s traffic police chief, told Sudans Post the injured passengers were taken to Nimule Hospital and the driver detained. She blamed the crash on excessive speed.

“The Eco bus was coming, and it seems it had problems with its brakes. Someone who was crossing the road was knocked down, a captain of SSPDF called Peter Mayol, aged 47. He was standing along the roadside trying to board a vehicle to come to Nimule but was knocked dead,” Maj. Bil explained.

“So, the vehicle was speeding until it overturned. When it overturned, some people on board were only injured with no deaths. The 18 injured were taken to Nimule Hospital,” she added.

Nimule Civil Hospital Medical Director Silvester Nyuma said three of the injured were in critical condition, while 13 were treated as outpatients.

One patient with severe chest pain was transferred to Juba Teaching Hospital.

“On Sunday, 17 people were involved in an accident and one died while 16 were brought to the hospital. Among the sixteen, 7 were female and 9 were male,” he stated.

“13 patients were handled as outpatients because their injuries were minor, and they went home. 3 of them were admitted because they were in severe pain and one of them was discharged yesterday. Today one patient who has been experiencing very severe chest pain was referred to Juba and one is still in the ward.”