Charles Joseph Wani, the Commissioner of Juba County - Courtesy

The Juba County Commissioner has apologized for the violent incident between vendors and police which resulted in one death and the injury of three others over the weekend.

Charles Joseph Wani said he had ordered the local government officers to remove roadside sellers along the pedestrian paths in Kubri-Haboba area.

But some vendors resisted, resulting in the confrontation.

Commissioner Wani visited the scene yesterday [Saturday] to calm the situation.

Speaking to residents in the area, he paid condolences to the families of the victims.

“As commissioner of Juba County, first, let’s say I am very sorry for what happened, and I am sending my condolences message for the family who lost one person,” said Commissioner of Juba County.

Wani however, said he is going to take legal steps to address the matter.

“The government want to organize the market and there was lawlessness from the side of the vendors,

“The government will take the legal process to see how this issue can be solved and we will come up with the result, and now all the organized forces are working on that, and then everything will be in place. We will give the rights of everybody.

“The organized forces and I as commissioner of Juba County underground, the security situation is calm, and the market is opened, and all the people are doing their work,

“What happened is a criminal act by some people who don’t want a system in the country.”

For his side, the commander of sector five in Gudele Brigadier General Isaac Manyuan Gok says the area is calm now.

“Actually what happened yesterday [Saturday] was routine work and administratively have been done by the Mr. Commissioner and local government officers to clean the roads and to be accessible to the people,” Isaac Manyuan said.

“This process is normal, and after this security issue as commander of sector five, I came with my forces and I control the situation,

“One person has been killed and three others injured and the other were stoned to death and it’s a minor injury.”

Meanwhile, the deputy director of Kubri Haboba police station, Colonel Hassan Bashir called on the traders to respect the order and stop selling along the roadsides.

“According to the local order which was issued by the commissioner, and before this order, we clean the road and before the opening of the bridge and till today, which is two weeks,” said Hassan Bashir.

“We have been telling our citizens not to sell their goods on the roads. All the shops are opened.”