ECSS crisis: 5 suspects arrested for assault on Bor bishops

Defrocked former ECSS Jonglei Internal Province Archbishop Reuben Akurdid Ngong. (Photo: file)

The police have arrested 5 suspects who were involved in the assault on a group of Episcopal Church of South Sudan (ECSS) bishops in the Jonglei State capital, Bor town, a fortnight ago.

Bishop Moses Anur and his two other ECSS Jonglei internal province colleagues survived an assassination attempt when an armed youth group loyal to a rival bishop attacked them at St. Peter’s Church in Bor’s Langbar area on January 22.

“As the police, we arrested five suspects who were involved in the attack on the bishops. The arrest was done on February 16,” Brig. Gen. Chol Deng Achiek, the deputy state police commissioner, told Radio Tamazuj on Tuesday. “They have been charged with armed robbery and murder attempt.”

He pointed out that investigations have been completed and that the suspects will be arraigned in court soon.

“We are done with investigating those 5 suspects. We will forward this case to the public prosecution attorney who will then take it up to the court for a trial,” he said.

Jok Majak, the secretary of St Peter’s Church, said he wants the suspects to be taken to the court so that they tell reveal what really happened.

“These people they came to our compound and they started shooting, beating and collected our phones and destroyed a church vehicle. So, we do not want anyone interfering with their case, whether a politician somewhere or a community member,” Majak said.

For his part, Moses Anur, the archbishop of the ECSS Jonglei internal province, welcomed the arrest but said he has yet to be officially informed by the police.