The Minister of Gender, Child and Social Development in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State, Monica Nyibol Aleu, has vowed to push for severe punishments against perpetrators of rape and sodomy in the state.

Speaking during an interview with Radio Tamazuj on Friday, Minister Nyibol said the state has recorded more than five cases of sodomy in different locations.

According to the statistics from the state ministry, a small boy was raped in Aweil East County in 2023, two cases involving minor boys were reported in Aweil West County in February this year, and other two were also documented to have occurred in Aweil North County between last two weeks and this week (Thursday).

South Sudan laws provide for protection from sexual abuse and exploitation, and gender-based violence, including rape, early and forced marriage and female genital mutilation.

According to section 396 of the South Sudan Penal Code 2008, whoever intentionally engages in sexual harassment commits an offence and, upon conviction, shall be sentenced to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years, liable to a fine or both.

“We are afraid of the future of our children because the people who rape our children are jailed, but we don’t get final results like what happened in the case of a minor who was raped and murdered. Although the criminal was imprisoned, we don’t know the further results of the court, and by this, we call for severe punishment for everyone who commits such crimes,” she said.

She added, “We have achieved our country through struggle and there is another struggle destroying our children.”

For his part, Aweil North County Commissioner Kiir Chan Wol disclosed that one suspect accused of sodomizing a boy was arrested and referred to a court of law, awaiting trial at Gokmachar Prison.

He said, “We have apprehended the suspect and he was referred to the court for allegedly sodomizing an eight-year-old child.” 

Meanwhile, Aguer Kawac Akok, the Executive Director of the Christian Restore Hope (CRH), condemned the rising cases of sodomy in the area and called for immediate action against any suspects.

“That incident happened in Aweil West County, and the state government officials and judges have intervened to solve the matter, but up to now, we need to know the whereabouts of the suspected foreign pastor who committed the offence,” said Aguer.