
Journalist was “unintentionally killed” on the South Sudan-Uganda
border in nearly seven years ago, a government-led investigation has shown.
A dual American-British citizen and freelance journalist, media
reports show that he was repeatedly shot while covering a clash in Kaya on
August 26, 2017.
The then 26-year-old reporter had been embedded with opposition
forces for three weeks when he met his death.
However, his demise caused international uproar after the
government spokesperson described him as a “white rebel” and rejected appeals
to investigate the killing.
Immediately after Allen’s killing, degrading photos were
shared online depicting his naked body.
Due to pressure from the US government and human rights
groups, Juba had to set up a seven-member fact-finding committee last year, six
years after he was killed.
“Christopher Allen was unintentionally killed as a result of
crossfire during the attack of Kaya town on 26h August 2017,” partly reads a
report released on Thursday.
“The body of Christopher Allen and other rebel forces were discovered during the Battle Damage Assessments carried out by government forces.
“There is no evidence that establishes the identity of the person or persons that discharged the firearms causing the death of Christopher Allen.
At least six journalists have been killed in South Sudan in
connection to their work since the country gained independence in 2011.
The country is also the world’s third-worst offender on CPJ’s 2022 Impunity Index, an annual report that spotlights countries with the worst records of securing justice for murdered journalists.