The Mayor of Kapoeta town in Eastern Equatoria state has called on the citizens of greater Kapoeta to support the government in identifying criminals in an attempt to to curb road banditry.
This comes after one suspect was arrested and his firearm confiscated by a joint security force last week and is currently at the police custody. They identified him as Lokuk Lotyiamangole, 25.
While addressing the congregation at Our Lady of Sorrow Parish on Sunday, Elia said for peace to prevail in the area, there is need for people to work with the government.
He argued that most of these suspected criminals live within the community and they can only be arrested by the government through the support from community members by identifying them.
“We want the Church and every citizen in greater Kapoeta to work together with the government so that the criminals that are disturbing people along the highways are identified and arrested,” he told the faithful.
Banditry has persisted on the roads in greater Kapoeta despite deployment of joint forces along Kapoeta-Torit road.
Observers attribute the insecurity on major roads to proliferation of firearms in the hands of civilians.