S. Sudan General survived three attempts on his life

Brig Gen Abraham Wani Yoane Bondo (©radiotamazuj)

By Benson Tumusiime

An investigation into the killing of a retired South Sudanese army General in Wakiso District on Tuesday last week has established that the deceased survived three attempts on his life before he was eventually killed by unidentified assailants.

Brig Abraham Wani Yoane Bondo, a former deputy governor of Yei River State in South Sudan, was stabbed at his rented home in Nsumbi Zone, Kyebando Division in Nansana Municipality, Wakiso District, and died in hospital two days later.

A source who preferred anonymity to speak freely, told Daily Monitor in an interview yesterday that a group of unidentified South Sudanese nationals had visited the deceased’s home three times but did not find him.“In 2019, when the assassins were sent to kill him, his daughter told them he had been sent to Kiryandongo Refugee Settlement camp,” narrated the source.

Prior to his coming to Nsumbi, the deceased first rented a house in Kabulengwa Village in Nansana, where he was staying with his family.The late Wani had earlier reported to Ugandan authorities that he had survived two assassination attempts in South Sudan, forcing him to flee into exile in Uganda.

Investigations indicate that Brig Wani’s killers, who raided his home in the night, were heard by neighbours speaking Arabic.Mr Moses Nsubuga, the area defence secretary, told the Daily Monitor that when the incident happened, the daughter of the deceased informed the neighbours, who called the office of the village chairperson.

“I went there immediately after receiving the call. I found the deceased lying down on the floor unconscious and bleeding profusely. I called a doctor from Kamunzi Medical Centre to come and offer first aid as I also called police, but the doctor referred him to Orthodox Hospital for further medical attention, where he was pronounced dead,” Mr Nsubuga, who responded to the call, said.

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A source on the investigating team said the suspected killers also took their victim’s mobile phone.“When we called his phone three days ago, it was picked by people who speak Arabic but now, it is completely off,” he said.

“In September 2016, while in Uganda as a refugee, Brig Wani declared that he had switched to Vice President Riek Machar’s side and accused President Salva Kiir’s government of extrajudicial killings and other human rights abuses. Brig Gen Wani claimed that in the same year, he started receiving threats to his life,”  the police source said.

Kampala Metropolitan Police deputy spokesperson Luke Owoyesigyire told Daily Monitor in an interview yesterday that the General’s death could have been politically motivated.

Mr Owoyesigyire also said police recorded a statement from the deceased’s daughter and they are using the information to expand their investigations.

The probe 

Investigators recorded statements that they heard killers speak Arabic and other dialects commonly used for communication in South Sudan. We have expanded the investigations beyond aggravated robbery,” Luke Owoyesigyire, Kampala Metropolitan Police deputy spokesperson. 

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