A policeman in Western Equatoria State is on the run after reportedly shooting dead three people over a lost phone at an area near the South Sudan-DR Congo border on Sunday.

Located in Gangura Payam, Yambio County, Nabiapai sits close to the DRC border.

Wilson Baraka and unnamed DR Congolese soldier were allegedly drinking alcohol at the Nabiapai market when the phone went missing.

The unnamed DR Congo soldier was a member of a small unit under the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) that protects the border, local authorities said.

The two were both off-duty when the incident occurred. After losing his phone, he went home to get his gun.

At around 5pm on Sunday, the Yambio County commissioner said Baraka returned to the market where he indiscriminately shot at people – killing his DRC drinking buddy and two South Sudanese nationals, a Regina Napenera and unnamed 11-year-old girl.

Two other people who sustained injuries are a Rezina and a boy he shot in the leg. Rezina was shot in the hand.

“The two, the DR Congolese soldier and the little girl named Maggy, 11, died on the spot,” Hussein Enoka told Eye Radio.

When contacted by Eye Radio, the area sub Chief Elizabeth Bakiki said the suspect is still at large.

“So, the policeman who killed these people ran to the bush, and is still there. He is armed and dangerous,” Bakiki added.

The local officials could not explain the make of the phone the police officers killed people for.

According to the local authorities at Nabiapai, Baraka and another police officer were the only security personnel deployed to the border area recently.