An accident involving a heavy truck and bodaboda left one schoolgirl dead and another injured in Rumbek East County of Lakes State on Thursday afternoon, a traffic police officer said.

The traffic police investigations officer, Daniel Awet Deng, told Radio Tamazuj that the bodaboda, carrying two schoolgirls, collided with the heavy truck on the main road in Cuei-gakteng Payam in Rumbek East County. He identified the deceased student as Nyankueth Agok Gum, 18.

“Yes, there is a traffic accident in Cuei-gakteng Payam of Rumbek East County. One school girl identified as Nyankueth Agok Gum has died and the other girl traveling with her sustained injuries and she is in Rumbek State Hospital while the bodaboda rider sustained no injuries,” Awet said.

According to the traffic police, the truck driver is safe and has been arrested and the truck loaded with humanitarian goods is parked at the Rumbek traffic police compound.

“The truck is a commercial truck carrying humanitarian goods from UNICEF. We have not yet seen the waybill of items but it is carrying humanitarian goods. We will soon find out what type of humanitarian goods it is carrying when we get the waybill,” Awet added.

Agok Gum, the father of the deceased said, “My daughter, Nyankueth Agok, yesterday was in Loreto Secondary School for examinations. Last night she informed me that they wanted to go and sit examinations in Atiaba Secondary School before the Loreto Secondary School examination results came out. This is how she went to Rumbek East County and had an accident and I was just informed about it.”

He said he went to the scene and found many people and soldiers.

“The traffic police that went with us collected the body of my daughter, the young girl who sustained injuries, and the bodaboda rider and took them to Rumbek State Hospital. They told me that the truck driver will be taken first to national security for investigation,” Gum said.

The medical director at Rumbek State Hospital, Dr. Terran Madit, confirmed that the girl who sustained injuries was receiving treatment at the hospital.