CID Police Personnel Clash with Arms Smugglers on Juba-Bor Road

JUBA – The police personnel from CID Department clashed with arms smugglers in the road running from Juba in Central Equatoria State (CES) to Bor in Jonglei State. This happened Wednesday night around 8:00 p.m. at Rajat East, with the help of citizens.

Col. James Monday Enoka, the spokesperson of South Sudan National Police Service, yesterday during briefing of journalists in Juba said the vehicle used in the arms smuggling was a dark blue Hiace mini bus number CE 722E.

The mini bus, the smuggled arms, large quantity of ammunition and other articles related to the smugglers were captured after seven smugglers ran into the bush in Rejaf East when one of them fell dead in the ensuing exchange of fire with CID soldiers.  Other captured items included a T-shirt marked Division Two SPLA, army uniform, gum boots and small knives,” Monday explained to the journalists. He said the operation was based on information received by CID personnel that there were a lot of movements of arms being smuggled from Juba to Jonglei by gangs. It was then that the CID operation department secretly deployed personnel to monitor the roads. On that day they succeeded to suspect and then followed this vehicle at Juba Bridge across the Nile and  when the criminals became aware that they were being followed by CID in Rajat East, they stopped their vehicle and jumped down and opened fire on the CID personnel who then replied the fire succeeding to shoot one of the smugglers right in the head and killing him instantly.  The rest ran into the bush with their arms.

The police CID personnel are continuing investigations and the dead smuggler has been taken to the mortuary of Juba Teaching Hospital for necessary medical process. Meanwhile the spokesperson said efforts are being coordinated to track down the seven who are still at large.  The spokesperson on behalf of the SS Police Service expressed appreciation to the CID personnel and the citizens of South Sudan for their cooperation in handling the case of the criminals whose purpose was to take arms to Jonglei to destabilize the state.

The CID will work hard to establish whether these arms were being smuggled for cattle raiding which is rampant in parts of Jonglei or for the militia of dissident Yau Yau.

Already Central Equatoria State Police Commissioner Major General Abraham has taken necessary steps to handle the case and to track the smugglers.  He is coordinating work with the Ministry of Interior and the army.