A 26-year-old man identified as Gatkuoth Tar died on the spot after a car belonging to Vice President Taban Deng Gai knocked his motorcycle between Unity Oilfield and Rubkona town in Unity State on Monday.

According to South Sudanese traffic police, six passengers traveling in the vehicle suffered varying injuries and are receiving treatment at Bentiu Hospital.

The Unity State traffic police director, Domai Dak Kai, sain on Tuesday that the accident which happened on Monday afternoon was caused by speeding.

“There was a vehicle which belongs to Vice President Taban Deng moving at high speed from the Kuerboaw to Rubkonta Town and it knocked and killed a motorcyclist on the spot and six of the passengers in the car were injured,” he said.

“The accident occurred on Monday at 3 p.m. because there was a lot of dust so the vehicle collided with the motorbike. The six passengers in the car who were injured are now receiving treatment at Bentiu Hospital.”

The traffic police officer said the vice president’s driver and the vehicle have been detained by the police pending investigations.

“After the accident, the first thing we did was to arrest the suspect (driver) and he is being detained at Bentiu Police Station until investigations are completed,” he said.

Dak urged the family of the deceased rider to remain calm as investigations continue and cautioned drivers against speeding.

He also warned that motorcycles are only allowed to carry one passenger.