Police said they have arrested the Acting Executive Director of Ikotos County in Eastern Equatoria State for allegedly collaborating with youths who destroyed COVID-19 testing kits.

The materials were reportedly thrown into a pit latrine in Tseretenya Payam, located on the border between South Sudan and Uganda.

Lt. Col. Mathew Jacob Ochan, the state police spokesperson, told Radio Tamazuj on Monday that Mr John Ikwang was arrested for obstructing the investigation of youths who destroyed COVID-19 testing kits in the area.

He said the testing kits were seized from Ministry of Health officials in Tseretenya Payam and thrown into a pit latrine.

Dr Elijo Omoro Tahir, a COVID-19 taskforce chairperson, said health officials were misunderstood to be giving money for tests.

“These people believe that patients who tested positive are being paid money, an allegation which is not true. There is no money being paid to those who tested positive, and we don’t have money in the first place. Even workers we send are not receiving anything,” he explained.

He said health workers have not been paid their risk allowances.

Mustafa Albino Zachariah, the Director-General in the Local Government Ministry, confirmed the arrest of the top county official.

South Sudan has so far reported more than 2,500 infections and 47 deaths from the diseases.