A community chief thought to have powers for making rain has been killed in Torit, Eastern Equatoria.

Officials there say a group of angry youth in Hiyalla payam had accused late Osili Solomon of obstructing rain, resulting in drought that has affected crops.

The state minister for Local Government, Lokai Iko, said he had received reports about chiefs being chased away from the payam.

Youth killed a chief thought to have powers over birds. They accused him of allowing the birds to destroy crops.

“So on the eighth [of August], we got also a report that one of the brothers of chief Oyalala was killed by the youth (monyomiji), purporting that [he] was also obstructing the rain,” Mr Iko told Eye Radio.

This killings come a week after a similar incident occurred in Lopa-Lafon Administration.

The incidents come amid hunger that is affecting parts of the state. In Budi County, the commissioner says at least six people starved to death over the weekend.

Sam Felix Makuja says it is unclear whether more people have died but he says the death toll is likely to rise.