The South Sudan flag has a star. It was meant to guide us toward the right direction of unity, patriotism, and victory against our traditional enemies such as poverty, disease, ignorance, nepotism, tribalism, corruption, and so forth. This conspicuous star represents any South Sudanese man or woman who makes our nation score a positive mark in his or her area of duty. For example, during the last Basketball World Cup in 2023, our men’s basketball players made their debut after they were crowned the champions of Africa.
In their campaign, they made South Sudan, Africa, and the world feel very proud. I remember in Kenya, the late former prime minister, Raila Amolo Odinga, alias ‘Agwambo’, used to wear their jersey in a show of support and solidarity whenever they played.
The students, farmers, business people, and human rights activists who are doing well are our stars, represented by the star in the national flag.
This success story repeated itself last month. On 26 February 2026, the South Sudan police captured one of the rich corruption suspects, Dr. Baak Barnaba Chol, in the border town of Nimule. The former immediate finance and planning minister was allegedly caught while escaping arrest in Juba. In an audio clip broadcast by Eye Radio and Radio Tamazuj, Baak was captured and recorded asking officers not to take his photos, which they did. He was found in possession of US dollars and South Sudanese Pounds apparently meant to ease his movement out of South Sudan.
In this terrible time of economic crisis, it is not an ordinary thing for unpaid officers to reject bribes and then continue to arrest a suspect of Baak’s caliber. This extraordinary work cannot go unnoticed. The nation must recognize the integrity and professionalism of the police officers with a view to inspiring the rest of the officers in the country. I commended them because they exercised their duty fully and to the best of their abilities. In fact, the way they perform demonstrates that they are well-trained. They even know and respect the rights of the accused person. When they captured Baak, he requested them not to take his photos, and they obliged.
It is common knowledge that the police and the army have not been paid due to a lack of money in the public coffers. I am sure not many unpaid officers can manage to do what the arresting officers did on empty stomachs.
Consequently, they might live to regret if their efforts go unnoticed and unrecognized. They might be tempted to think that they wish they knew that nothing would happen. We must not make it a culture where, when someone does something good, there is no reward for it. There are so many people I know who did wonderful jobs. Unfortunately, they were sacked and left idle instead of being transferred to other institutions that need reform. For example, someone like James Magok Chilimchok did a great job during his time as managing director of South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation (SSBC). If President Salva Kiir is honest in his famous statement that he is looking for a solution, he cannot abandon Magok while aware that he is a distinguished professional and patriot whose modus operandi is honesty and transparency. The other day, I did not hesitate to write that he should be appointed as the new finance minister if South Sudan wants its money in safe hands.
The Nimule officers surprised the nation by standing firm in the ongoing fight against corruption. Their action made the police and other security officers appear not just sharp but alert. They are police stars who deserve more stars. They deserve promotion to encourage them to continue serving our nation with dedication. I would like all these officers involved in the ‘Operation Capture Baak’ to be publicly recognized. In doing this, we shall be promoting meritocracy.
If we can apply meritocracy in our institutions of governance, there would be an improvement in the performance of officials and employees. In the future, other security officers will do the same to be recognized and promoted. If we can do something that will increase public officers’ performance, then we should not hesitate, especially if the president is serious about looking for solutions. I don’t know what type of solution he is looking for, but one thing I know is that the solution can be found in hard work characterized by professionalism, as demonstrated by Nimule police officers.
There is no more opportune moment to applaud these law enforcement officers than now. In my view, what they did was a breath of fresh air. They restored the lost hope in the country’s security system. Hence, we need to stand up and say kudos to these brave and brilliant officers, for they have shown exemplary work. They have done an excellent job that other service men and women in uniform should emulate. I believe they made the country feel proud, at least for a day.
Dr. Baak Barnaba is innocent.
I must say it is through their coordinated and collective efforts that Dr. Baak Barnaba is behind bars. However, Dr. Baak, like others, remains a suspect. Who knows, his case might not even reach the court. He might be released pending the conclusion of the investigation.
In the Transitional Constitution, Art. 19, subsections 1 and 2 are crystal clear that a suspect is innocent until proven guilty. Moreover, if South Sudan is a law-abiding country, Baak and his co-accused could have been out of prison on bail. Accused persons ought to appear in court within twenty-four hours. This is in line with the natural justice principle called Audi alterem partem, which means let the other be heard. He must appear in court to be granted his right to bail. Nonetheless, Dr. Baak has what we call a prime case. There is a wise saying, “the guilty are afraid.” His hasty decision to escape and run away after handing over the office to his successor, Salvatore Garang, speaks volumes.
From where he is residing, Baak should know that he is an ingrate. He was among a few educated sons who were favoured in South Sudan. The fact that he was appointed twice as finance minister means that he was trusted and loved by His Excellency the President.
In a show of reciprocity, Dr. Baak should have returned this love and favour by waiting to face and answer the allegations against him in the courts. In addition, if Baak was wise or if he had good advisors, he could have stood his ground and taken responsibility by virtue of the fact that South Sudan was ranked as the most corrupt country in the world during his term and tenure.
The undeniable facts are that the country has run short of money to pay civil servants, and this problem did not begin this year. It is a chronic problem. Therefore, he cannot respond to the challenge by running away through the border using a motorbike. He let the president down by attempting to flee.
Ultimately, Baak will have a hard time convincing people, regardless of what he says, since he was aware that his predecessor, Dr. Marial Dongrin, was already summoned before his interception and subsequent arrest in Nimule. He should have waited to be cleared and leave in broad daylight through Juba International Airport (JIA). Normally, that is what an innocent person can do.
I presume Baak’s co-accused and predecessor, Dr. Marial Dongrin, is a man waiting to be acquitted. He was a humble person who never showed a sign that he loved power and money. Since his days at university, Dongrin never quarrelled with anyone, nor did he ever want to vie for a position in the South Sudan Students’ Association in Kenya (SSSAK).
Types of reward
There is a way to reward the Nimule officers. They need a two-fold promotion; they can be promoted in rank, and secondly, they should be promoted to higher positions of leadership so that they can teach and promote not just discipline but also patriotism in the security sector. They should lead the police in combating corruption. As such, they should be appointed as top security heads in the police departments regardless of the fact that they are from one ethnic group.
Finally, the Nimule officers made South Sudanese anti-corruption advocates feel happy. Later, you will still make them happy if they hear or see that the President recognized these officers’ work in fighting against corruption in South Sudan.
The writer is a lawyer and criminologist by profession. He is a former delegate to the High-Level Mediation for South Sudan, alias Tumaini Peace Initiative, where he represented SSPM as its national chairperson for the Constitutional and Legal Affairs Committee. He can be reached via eligodakb@yahoo.com.
The views expressed in ‘opinion’ articles published by Radio Tamazuj are solely those of the writer. The veracity of any claims made is the responsibility of the author, not Radio Tamazuj.