Bentiu, South Sudan,
July 13, 2021 — Authorities in Unity State said they have apprehended and detained three men suspected of being behind the murder of GPOC employee in Bentiu Protection Site last month.
The murdered staff was identified as Riek Tol, a national staff working at Greater Pioneer Operating Company, GPOC.
Unity State police confirmed that the deceased was a 50-year-old man and he was shot dead inside the camp by armed men during his resistance to robbery.
An insider said that a stray bullet hit him after the attackers tried to rob the phone of another man.
According to reliable information received by Nyamilepedia, the Unity State Information Minister and State spokesman, Gabriel Hon said they have detained the suspected criminals but couldn’t verify either whether they are the intended perpetrators or not but he assured that the investigations are underway.
“It is not clear whether they are the ones or not, but we are still investigating the incident,” said Gabriel Hon, information minister and quoted by Eye Radio.
The state government did not identify the seized suspects by names but the state spokesman said the situation is now normal in the camp.
Since the outbreak of civil war in 2013, the United Nations Mission in South Sudan has been responsible for the security and safety of civilians in Bentiu until April this year when they handed over the responsibility to the State government.
According to civilians their being under the protection of state authority makes them more vulnerable.
