Journalist Christopher Allen in South Sudan. (File photo).

The United States government said the recent South Sudan investigation into the death of journalist Christoper Allen has failed to address factors that led to his demise and the “disrespectful treatment” of his remains.

Mr. Allen, a freelance journalist with dual British and American citizenship, was killed during clashes between government and the opposition forces in Kaya town, Central Equatoria state on 27^th August 2017.

His family and home governments have long been demanding answers as to how the journalist died.

Following years of wait, the South Sudan government in October 2023, formed a fact-finding committee tasked to probe how Allen was killed during the clashes between government and then SPLA-IO troops.

On March 21, 2024, the government-led committee released its findings concluding that he was killed “in crossfire” during the fighting at Kaya town while voicing “regrets” over the incident.

“The subsequently released report does not address in a comprehensive manner all the factors that led to Mr. Allen’s death or the disrespectful treatment of his remains,” reads a statement published on the US Department of State website.

“We renew our call on the transitional government to conduct a credible investigation into Mr. Allen’s death and to demonstrate the political will to take accountability seriously.”

In its finding released last month, the seven-member committee, who said they conducted interviews in Juba and Kaya to get witness accounts, stated that there was no intention to kill Allen and maintained that he was shot in crossfire during the attack.

The team of inquiry comprising National Security Service, Criminal Investigation Department, Police and SSPDF, and legal counsels, also asserted that Allen entered South Sudan illegally and did not have accreditation from the South Sudan Media Authority.

The committee argued that there were no visas or documents that the journalist used to enter the country.

The team claimed that there is no evidence that establishes the identity of the person or persons who discharged the firearm causing the death of Christopher Allen.

The findings also stated there was no evidence that Christopher was known to be a journalist by the person who discharged the firearms that caused his death during the combat.

But Christopher Allen was a freelance journalist and war reporter, who worked with various news outlets, including Qatar’s Al Jazeera.

Media watchdog Reporters without Borders (RSF) says freedom of the press is extremely precarious in South Sudan, adding that journalists work under constant threat and intimidation.

It adds that both South Sudanese and foreign journalists who try to provide independent reporting expose themselves to execution, torture, abduction, arbitrary detention, and harassment.