Barricade tape for crime scene (Courtesy)

The families of seven local government officials murdered last year in Manyo County of Upper Nile State, are calling for justice.

On 17th April 2022, unknown armed men attacked a revenue collection checkpoint in Mulha area at night – gunning down the officials who were asleep.

Among the victims were local government field officer Mutawakil Elsheikh, two islamic tax collectors; Hassan Bol and Musaf Sanusi, and their driver Omet Imam.

Two SSPDF officers and one Sudanese national were also among those killed.

The incident occurred five days after alleged illegal revenue collectors in Manyo County in Upper Nile state assaulted the wife of the Director of Revenue Unit and burned down his house into ashes.

This is after the authorities banned unauthorized youth from collecting revenue in the area.

The decision prompted the youth – allegedly supported by some politicians in the area – to protest the decision of authorities in Manyo County for two weeks.

Following the incident, dozens of youth who protested in the area were arrested in connection with the killing.

But they were later released with a personal guarantee from the chief of the area.

However, families of the victims have now reactivated the case after one year of waiting for the government to take up the justice and accountability process.

They say the government has forgotten its people who were killed while on official duties.

Mahadi Abdallah Wajaras, one of the affected people spoke on behave of the families saying they are demanding justice for the dead.

“We as the families of the victims have been waiting from the government to see what they will do. If those people are government employees, they belong to the Ministry of Finance,” Wajaras said.

“Among them, are administrative officers and we thought the government will do something, but up to date, nobody came to us whether from government or the community, that why is we say we should reactivate case again and follow it up.”

“Although they are government officials, the government does not stand with them. So, we as the families of the victims decided to stand with them to see what happened to them.”

On his part, the local Chief Mr. Olui Yor, who bailed out the suspects confirmed that he was asked by the general prosecutor in the area to report back those youth for further investigation.

Chief says he is in total agreement with the step taken by the family to reactivate the case after the government failed to do so.

Chief Olui condemned the government’s silence on the matter.

“They have a right even the government it’s supposed to be together with them because those are its people they were working for the government, they were collecting money for the government and it is not good for these people to go like that and the government is silent,” Olui said.

“This is good at all, they supposed to compensate their children but the government is silent, I can say they have right, ,there injustices here we can says the government has a role in this.”