Authorities in the Kuajok town of Warrap State say two suspected criminals have been arrested in connection with killing a young woman and injuring her son over the weekend. 

On Sunday evening, armed men attacked and shot Agol Mayar Akol Mabuoc dead while she was leaving a clinic with her children. Her 12-year-old son sustained serious injuries during the attack and was admitted to a hospital in the town before being relocated to Juba for further treatment.  

Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Tuesday, Kuajok Town Mayor Gabriel Madut Ayok confirmed that the two suspects were arrested in separate locations after they committed the crime. 

“Yes, the incident happened on Sunday around 7:30 pm and the victim was driving back from the clinic where she took the kids for medication and by the time she reached her house and waited for the gate to be opened, she got attacked immediately,” Madut said. “They opened fire on her and shot her eight times. That evening we thought it was four bullets but the following day when we went to the hospital in the morning, we found out they were eight bullets in her body.”

The mayor said the son of the deceased woman who was sitting with her in front was shot two twice through his right arm but luckily sustained no fractures.

“The boy is okay, we were with him yesterday until we took the body of his late mother to the village and this morning the boy was taken to Juba for an x-ray and further treatment. The mother died immediately and her name is Agol Mayar Akol Mabuoc, around 30 years old and the injured boy is called Ayok Santino Majok Madut, 12,’’ the mayor added.

He said two suspects were apprehended on the same night of the incident and one surrendered himself to the police in Wau in neighboring Western Bahr-el-Ghazal State.

“Their names are not released yet because the investigations are still taking place by security organs, maybe there are more suspects. So, we want to gather enough information and then we will release full details. We don’t know the nature of the criminal act or if it was a personal problem and what happened and why it happened. We don’t have clear information and very soon we will update the public,” Mayor Madut said.

The representative of civil society organizations in Warrap State, Bona Malual, condemned the murder and called for speedy investigations so that the accused face justice.

“We have already released our press release condemning the killing of the innocent woman and the injury of the small child and we also call on the government to intensify the investigations so that the culprits are brought to book,” Malual said. 

He called on the family members of the victims to remain calm and allow the law to take its course.