South Sudan Catholic Bishops' Secretariat where the thieves broke into - Credit: CRN Reporter

Thieves are reported to have broken into a Catholic Church office and made away with valuables ahead of the Pope’s anticipated visit to the Country.

The Secretary-General of the Catholic Bishops Conference says the incident happened in Juba last night.

Fr. Peter Suleiman, who is also a member of the steering committee for the papal visit states that the robbers intruded into their offices in Juba town on Tuesday night.

The robbers reportedly entered the compound after drugging the gateman to unconsciousness.

They made away with computers and unspecified amounts of money in US dollars and South Sudanese Pounds.

“We were surprised this morning to find an unconscious watchman thrown in the middle of the compound and I hurried to take him to the hospital,” Fr. Suleiman narrates to Eye Radio what happened.

“They broke into five offices. In my office, they have carried the laptop, the external hard disk, and some memories of the flash desk so they turned things up and down and left the office in a bad shape.”

Suleiman says the robbers have not been identified, but he assumes they are not strangers.

The man-of-God said they had filed a police case and investigations were undergoing.

Asked whether the thief is related to the Holy Father’s visit to Juba Fr. Peter Suleiman says the theft will not affect the Pope’s visit.

“We are the steering committee of the preparation of the coming of the Holy Father and if people are having that opinion that maybe we have some money with us,” Fr. Suleiman said.

“I hope this are normal thieves that are coming to us but if they are of that mind,

“They [thieves] will not postpone or affect the coming of the Holy Father; he will be coming because the spiritual pastoral visit of the Holy Father is for everybody the righters and sinners as well.”