File: Pupils at Loreto Primary School, Rumbek, raise the South Sudan's flag. Credit|Paul Jeffrey

Police in Mundri, Western Equatoria State are holding a prison warden charged with the shooting and injuring of a motorcyclist during lowering of the national flag on Monday, Jan. 25.

They say Benson Awik was riding from Lui to Mundri town when Sergeant James Nyirwa opened fire, shooting him in the leg.

The 21-year-old, who is now receiving medical attention at Lui hospital, was reportedly unaware of what was happening when he was shot.

“There is a need to teach the police on the code of conduct for the use of firearms,” Second Lieutenant Double Seven B Clement told Eye Radio.

“The use of a firearm has three principles; if you want to shoot, give a warning first, at least three times and if the person persists that  is when you can shoot.”

Reacting to the incident, a human rights advocate, Reech Malual, condemned the shooting of Benson Awik – arguing that there is no law in South Sudan that permits shooting of anyone while the national flag is being raised or lowered.

“Our parliament should pass a bill first that says nobody should be moving while lowering or raising a flag, [for now] that law is not there,” Reech said.

In 2012 a Kenyan national who was a teacher at Dr. John Garang International School – was shot dead while driving past Dr. John Gerang’s mausoleum when the flag was being lowered.