Police in Western Equatoria State have announced the arrest of five suspects in connection with the killing of a senior education official who was fatally shot at his home earlier this month.
Peter Michael Mbia, the director general of the Ministry of General Education and Instruction in the state, was gunned down on August 3 in the Napere residential area of Yambio.
State Police Commissioner Phillip Madut Tong confirmed that the suspects are in custody and are currently under investigation.
“We have apprehended several individuals in relation to the director general’s murder. The case is ready, and we will hand them over to the court. There are five suspects in total,” Tong stated.
Despite broader challenges such as looting and high living costs, security in Yambio and its surroundings has reportedly remained calm in recent days.
Mbia’s murder occurred shortly after the removal of the state’s education minister by gubernatorial decree. These arrests coincide with wider political changes in Western Equatoria where President Salva Kiir recently appointed a new governor and deputy governor.
Various civil society groups have called for stability in the state. Edmund Yakani, the executive director of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), has urged the new leadership to prioritize peace and the protection of civilians.
Yakani stressed the importance of preventing armed conflicts and safeguarding civilians, warning that continuous human rights violations could attract scrutiny from the International Criminal Court.
He expressed readiness to facilitate discussions with the new governor to promote peaceful coexistence and address pressing issues in the region.
This report was originally published on Radio Tamazuj.
