A burnt house in the Giru residential area in Yei, where the incident occurred. (Photo: Yei Resident)

Police in Yei River County in Central Equatoria are searching for a man who killed a woman and two young girls following an alleged family dispute on Wednesday evening, according to the commissioner.

The deceased are 35-year-old Betty Tabu who was burnt inside a house, and 11-year-old Agnes Tabu and 10-year-old Kevin Eluwe who were shot dead.

Yei River Commissioner Emmanuel Taban said he received information that the incident was caused by a disagreement between the assailant and the victims.

He could not specify what the misunderstanding was about but added that police authorities were still investigating the murders.

“According to what I heard, there was a disagreement between the person who shot the two ladies and one of the family members,” Taban said.

“It has resulted in the misunderstanding leading to that incident but we are still investigating because it happened last night (Wednesday) and I have not yet received the final report of the incident but that is true.”

A resident of Yei River whom we are referring to only as Jada (not his real name) and who witnessed the incident, said one of the girls was rushed to the hospital alive before she succumbed to her wound.

“Somebody came and attacked one of our youths in the area. The person came with a gun, and he shot a girl and she died on the spot and another one was shot in the stomach,” he narrated.

“She was rushed to the hospital and the girl died at the hospital there. So, for the woman, we were searching for her we didn’t know that she had been burned inside.”

“So the suspect burned all the houses down meaning the total number of people killed is three, the woman and the two girls.”

Meanwhile, one of the family members also confirmed to Eye Radio that the incident occurred after the man attempted to settle a dispute with his in-laws.

Daniel Luate added that they have opened a police case against the suspect.

“We have opened a case against the suspect. The investigation is ongoing and as I speak, the home is full of armed forces because the suspect is not caught.”

“He escaped and we don’t know where he is exactly and the police are conducting an investigation to capture the suspect.”