GoSS Minister and Guard Assassinated

The Minister of Cooperatives and Rural Development of the Government of Southern Sudan Jimmy Lemi Milla, was shot dead Wednesday morning in his ministry office in Juba alongside his bodyguard.

Police said Lemi was killed by his brother-in-law, also his former driver. Eyewitnesses say the attacker, named Amin, broke into Lemi's car and took a gun with which he then killed a guard at the door of the ministry before shooting Lemi.

The deceased Minister

Thomas Wani Kundu, a Member of Parliament in the Khartoum National Assembly for the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM), told SUDANVOTES at the scene that the assassination was due to personal issues and was not politically motivated. He said Amin had been suspended for two months without pay from his job as the Minister's driver and hence blamed the minister for his loss of income. They had some misunderstanding that Jimmy suspended him for two months and was demanding his payment”, Honorable Wani said.

Amin was apparently arrested and taken into police custody, contradicting report that he had killed himself. Wani said on being arrested he admitted his intention to kill the Minister. Wani described Lemi as a "patient, jolly, cooperative and simple man”. He added that although this is a blow to Southern Sudan at this critical moment, his death should not be connected to politics.

GoSS Minister for Internal Affairs Gier Chuang Aluong asserts: killing not political

Lemi had previously served in many positions in the National Congress Party and the central government, but joined the SPLM after the signing of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA).

It is for the second time since the CPA that a GoSS minister has been assassinated. Last year Samson Kwaje, then GoSS Minister of Agriculture, died a few months after initially surviving an assassination attempt in Lainya County.