Soldiers from the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) in Cueibet County, Lakes State, were responsible for the fatal torture of a National Security Service (NSS) officer and a civilian in separate incidents on Monday, according to a Radio Tamazuj investigation.
The victims—identified as NSS officer Thokgor Mangar Thokgor and civilian Mabak Malueth—were allegedly beaten to death by soldiers under the command of SSPDF officer Dut Malek. Local sources said the two had been accused of theft and illegal arms possession.
Akecam Mamer Thokgor, a relative of the deceased NSS officer, confirmed the incident and called for justice.
“My cousin had been authorized by the NSS to visit his family in Cueibet,” she said. “The situation is now calm, but there was heightened tension yesterday between the family and SSPDF soldiers in Abyeicok Payam, where he was tortured to death.”
She urged authorities to investigate the killing and hold the perpetrators accountable.
Daniel Juol Nhomngek, a member of parliament representing Cueibet County, said Thokgor had been carrying official travel documents when he was detained by SSPDF soldiers.
“The officer was tortured until he was lifeless and later died in the hospital,” Nhomngek said. “The soldiers ignored his identification and travel permits.”
He also confirmed that a second civilian, Mabak Malueth, was beaten to death in Cueibet town under similar circumstances.
Nhomngek attributed the violence to an administrative vacuum in the county, which currently has no commissioner or executive director.
“Cueibet’s Gok community faces unchecked abuses, including extortion and cattle raids by soldiers,” he said.
Civil society activist Daniel Laat Kon condemned the killings and urged the Lakes State government to prosecute those responsible.
“We strongly condemn this human rights violation,” Kon said. “The state must arrest these soldiers and restore governance in Cueibet by appointing a commissioner.”
Repeated attempts to reach Lakes State’s acting information minister, William Koji Kerjok, for comment were unsuccessful.
While South Sudanese law prohibits torture, custodial beatings, and harassment, security forces continue to commit such abuses with impunity.