The police in Unity State’s Leer County on Friday night arrested an SPLA-IO officer after he and a colleague, who evaded arrest, stole five mobile phones and SSP 100,000.
The Director General of Police in Leer County, Brigadier Tor Thor, stated that the suspects are based in Adok Payam.
“The person who was arrested by the security personnel is under investigation by Military Intelligence in Leer County. We transferred him to military detention after we did preliminary investigations at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID),” he said. “There were two criminals, but one escaped. The one who was arrested had two guns after his colleague ran away. The suspect put down the guns when he realized the police had cornered him.”
“This is the second time SPLA-IO soldiers have stolen properties from the community, they being on 30 June,” Brig. Thor added.
He said he, in the past, urged the local SPLA-IO commander to hold meetings with his troops to advise them against criminal activities.
Meanwhile, Yai Pazale, the SPLA-IO Sector Two spokesperson, said he did not have information about the incident.
“I was not informed by my commander in Adok Payam, and I cannot comment for now,” he stated.
For his part, Riek Koang, a civil society activist who doubles as the coordinator of Street Children Care Initiative Organization, a local NGO in Unity State, said soldiers should not rob civilians but protect them.
“Military personnel should not turn their power on civilians. Unfortunately, some soldiers are involved in criminal activities,” he said. “I know very well it is individuals and the commander is not aware, but he should have meetings with his personnel to identify the errant ones. To reduce crime by armed personnel, they must be unified and deployed together.”
The cases of crime are increasing, and even the people who killed the sub-chief of Kaigai Payam were discovered to be from,” Koang added.