By Juma John Stephen
JUBA, 11 March 2010 (Gurtong) – Police said Mr Zechariah Bol Deng Koht, an SPLM aspirant in Abiemnom County of Unity State was shot dead at his home in Juba just 200 meters from Jebel Market on Thursday morning.
The slain 57- year-old former SPLA captain was a Member of Parliament in the Southern Sudan Legislative Assembly and was campaigning for the same seat in Unity State’s Abiemnom County.
His second wife, Nyahuak Deng said her husband came to Juba last Saturday after conducting his campaigns in Abiemnom.
Mrs Deng and an eyewitness said three armed gunmen stormed the house and shot her husband several times in the chest before disappearing.
“When we heard strange movements of people in the house, my husband and I clutched ourselves. Upon locating us, they pulled me away from my husband and covered my mouth as they shot him in the chest. They confirmed he was dead by shooting him once more before fleeing”, said the terrified and tearful woman.
The gunmen shot at the lawmaker’s brother who tried to give chase. He was, however, unhurt.
“We found two empty bullet shells on the floor while Deng was lying dead on his bed. We have launched investigations into the killing”, Lieutenant Joseph Sebit told Gurtong at Juba Teaching Hospital where the body was taken for postmortem.
The Deputy Chairman of Southern Sudan High Election Committee Anthony Ariki Lowly said his committee will review the issue and report accordingly to the National Election Committee (NEC) for further action.