David Abuoi, who was also known as Malak Arok and who may have used the first name of Gabrielle, was last seen in Civic in 2012. Photos: AFP/ACT Policing.
Police suspect foul play may have been involved in the disappearance of a respected member of the Sudanese community who vanished from Canberra 13 years ago.
David Abuoi, also known as Malak Arok, was 35 years old when he left the ACT Watch House in Civic on the morning of 10 July 2012 and has not been seen since.
He was a Sudanese refugee who mostly lived in the ACT between 2005 and 2012 before moving to Sydney with his family, then returned to visit friends in Canberra when he vanished.
Over the last decade, police looked at whether his disappearance was due to misadventure or suicide and decided both were unlikely.
Now they suspect foul play was involved and are calling for information that could help them solve the case as part of National Missing Persons Week.
“He came here for a better life, and I think that we owe it to him and his family to come up with some answers as to what has occurred,” Detective Leading Senior Constable Nicci Linden said.
“It’s important that people know that he was a respected member of the Sudanese community and considered an elder.
“He was known to his friends as Malak, and he came here to look for a peaceful place to live because he lived in South Sudan during the civil wars and [experienced] hardships, extreme hardships that Australians probably couldn’t conceive of.”
She and Detective Sergeant Craig Marriott are part of ACT Policing’s Unsolved Homicide Team and have been looking into Mr Abuoi’s disappearance.
Detective Sergeant Marriott said the four main causes of a disappearance in long-term missing persons cases were death by misadventure, suicide, a change of identity or foul play.
When it came to Mr Abuoi, police thought misadventure and suicide were unlikely, and there was no reason for him to change his identity, which meant they were left with the latter.
“But also, there are circumstances within that community, within that Sudanese community, that raise the spectre of foul play,” Detective Sergeant Marriott said.
He would not go into their current leads, but said police wanted to gain an understanding of the broader circle of people Mr Abuoi associated with, such as those who hadn’t come forward yet.
“We know that David has been spoken about, that his disappearance is known,” he said.
Detective Leading Senior Constable Nicci Linden has investigated Mr Abuoi’s disappearance for the last couple of years. Photo: Albert McKnight.
Mr Abuoi’s signs of life checks – such as records of him using transport, banking or medical facilities – were discontinued within days of his disappearance. This meant there was nothing to indicate he was alive after that time.
Thirty police officers searched Mt Ainslie last year, partly due to the mountain’s proximity to Civic, but found nothing of relevance to the investigation.
Detective Leading Senior Constable Linden said Mr Abuoi lived a very simple life contained within the Sudanese community. Even after his family moved to Sydney, he continued to socialise in Canberra with the community he had established.
She said by 2011 and 2012, his life had become a very small world due to his mental and physical health conditions, as well as the people he was choosing to socialise with.
Mr Abuoi’s family provided a statement in which they described him as a kind-hearted soul as well as a beacon of wisdom and encouragement to both his family and the community.
“He was deeply respected for his graciousness, always approaching situations with patience and thoughtfulness before responding,” his family said.
“His legacy of wisdom remains immeasurable, though it feels incomplete without him.
“We miss him profoundly since the day he did not return or answer our calls. He lives in our hearts as we search for the answers and seek ways to honour the remarkable life he led.”
CCTV showed Mr Abuoi walking away from the City Police Station around 8:30 am on Tuesday, 10 July 2012.
He was wearing suit pants, black shoes, and a dark-coloured jumper with dark blue stripes, which may have made him stand out to people as his clothes might not have looked warm enough for the weather that day. He may also have been carrying a white bag.
Police want to hear from anyone who may have worked in Civic that day and may have seen him, or anyone who knew Mr Aboui and could tell police about how he was behaving and the relationship they had with him.
“Even the smallest piece of information is of value to us,” Detective Leading Senior Constable Linden said.
If you can help police, call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or contact them online by visiting Crime Stoppers ACT. Information can be provided anonymously.
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