Investigation into killing of British-American journalist extended for 45 days over ‘technical reason’

JUBA, OCTOBER 19, 2023 (SUDANS POST) – South Sudan government on Thursday announced that investigation into the killing of British-American journalist Christopher Allen has been extended for at least forty-five (45) days.

In a statement seen by Sudans Post today, the ministry of cabinet affairs, which had announced the investigation after many years of international outcry in early October, said the extension is due to technical reason which it did not disclose.

“I would like to inform the general public that the duration of investigation committee has been extended for forty-five days commencing from 19, October 2023,” said the letter signed by head of the investigation committee Justice David Charles.

“This extension is due to some technical reason, which will permit the committee to fulfil its task comprehensively,” the statement added.

On October 5, the government ordered an investigation into the outrageous 2017 killing of Allen. The investigation, which comes nearly six years into the killing of the journalist, was to be carried out by a seven-member committee headed by Justice David.

The committee’s membership includes Gen. Riak Bin, Gen. Jalpan Obiyee, Gen. Alex Makele, Lawrence Kamilo and George Stephen and was given fifteen (15) days to report their findings to the minister of cabinet affairs Martin Elia Lomuro.

The committee is tasked to identify and interview witnesses.

The Executive Director of Community Empowerment for Progress Organization Edmund Yakani welcomed the launch of the investigation at the time and called on the investigation committee to adhere to the fifteen-day deadline.

“Crimes committed against journalists in South Sudan should be investigated and those responsible must be held accountable not only for international journalists but for all journalists in the country,” Yakani lamented at the time of the launch of investigation.

The United States and the United Kingdom on October 6 issued a statement welcoming the launch of the investigation. They said the formation of the investigation committee must be followed by a thorough and credible investigation.

“The transitional government’s formation of a committee to investigate the death of journalist Christopher Allen more than six years after his death on August 26, 2017, is a long-awaited step in the right direction,” the South Sudan’s friends said in a statement extended to Sudans Post.

Allen who was embedded with the opposition SPLA-IO forces was shot in the head during fighting between the South Sudan army and the then rebel group in 2017. He was killed at a border area along the Ugandan-South Sudan border.

The government has previously dashed international and local calls for investigation into his killing. Government information minister and spokesman Michael Makuei Lueth described him at some point as a white rebel.