South sudan minister Shot dead

(10 Feb 2011 Juba) A South Sudanese minister, has been shot dead in his office , in the future country's capital Juba.

Jimmy Lemi,the minister for rural development, was allegedly shot by his brother in law, in an attack that also killed a guard. Interior Minister, Gier Chou-ang A-loung said he didnt believe the crime was politically motivated.

Lemi, was the former member of the National Congress Party, which dominates the North. He defected, to the South's Sudan People's Liberation Movement, ahead of elections, in April last year.

The incident comes only days after referendum results confirmed that Southern Sudan would become the world's newest independent state on 9 July.

Nearly 99% of southerners voted for secession in last month's poll. Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir has said he will accept the outcome.

Officials in the ruling Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) believe the motive for Wednesday's shooting was personal rather than political.