Last week on Wednesday (12/02/2020), a South Sudanese gospel singer, a teacher was stabbed and later died in hospital after sustaining many injuries. John Aleu Deng went to Kakuma refugee camp to attend the wedding of his cousin who travelled from Australia to conduct his marriage in Kakuma Refugee camp. Now, many suspects in Kakuma have been arrested in connection with the death of John.
One of the people accused was Ajak Dau Aketch, a 38 years old former Lostboy of Sudan who lives in the United States. Ajak was in Kakuma refugee camp to conduct his marriage when the fight happened. Ajak and those who were accused went for hiding on the day the death of John Aleu was confirmed. According to Peter Manyok, those who escaped toward South Sudan border were later caught and brought back to Kakuma Refugee camp.
The detectives from the Department of Criminal Investigation in Turkana West then issued an arrest warrant.
“We have been hunting Aketch, since the reported incident at Kakuma refugee camp that led to the death of a man and another injured after an internal conflict between the clans of South Sudan in the camp,”
The DCI (Department of Criminal Investigation) at the Jomo Kenyatta executed the warrant, and Ajak Dau was arrested as he was trying to travel back to the United States. Those who have known Ajak Dau see his arrest a smearing campaign but the eye witness disagrees with those who are defending his involvement. After the arrest, the DCi posted how they arrested Ajak at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
“@DCI_Kenya detectives based at JKIA in collaboration with @ImmigrationDept officers have arrested one foreigner namely Ajak Dau Aketch aged 38 years on a stop order placed by DCI Turkana West detectives for the offence of murder. The suspect was to board a KLM flight to Arizona via Amsterdam. He will be arraigned once relevant police procedures are complete.”.
A week before John Aleu went to Kakuma Refugee camp, the youths from Abek and Dacuek community had fought each other, and there were injuries on both sides. The attack that resulted in the death of John Aleu was reported as a revenge attack from Dacuek after one of the young men was severely injured on his head and mouth. Peter Manyok was one of the people who witnessed the attacked.
“Ajak is accused because he was the one who led the way. One of my uncles heard him asking for the way and greeting people before the attackers emerged behind.… John Aleu and I were not part of this problem. I, Jacob Jok and John Aleu were together when the youths attacked us. I was hurt, but I was able to escape from the scene..... Every weapon these young men were holding was used on John Aleu.”
Peter Atem Manyok was a witnessed and friend of late Aleu, and he was asked if late John Aleu was part of the conflict when the youths fought each other?
“…….I, Jacob Jok Deng and John Aleu and many others came to Kakuma to attend the wedding of our cousin. The fighting that occurred between the youths happened a week or two before we arrived in Kakuma refugee camp. According to what I know, some of the youth who attacked each other were arrested and were later released. The case was expected to be resolved by elders, then this happened.”
