Army drags over 60 service members to court for rights violation during conflict

JUBA – At least sixty service members of South Sudan People’s Defense Force (SSPDF) who were arrested recently for committing war crimes against civilians during the conflict will face justice in Juba, according to the army spokesman Major-General Lul Ruai Koang.

The army’s director of military justice is expected to launch court hearing early this month.

Gen. Lul said in a letter addressed to the army chief General Santino Deng Wol that 60 servicemen detained in various Infantry Divisions were accused of committing major crimes during the armed conflict in the world’s youngest country.

“The soldiers were accused of committing crimes such as sexual gender-based violence against women, girls, and boys, recruitment of child soldiers, killing, maiming, rape, abduction, crimes against children, hindering or restriction of humanitarian access and crimes of military nature,” General Lul said in the letter he extended to Sudans Post.

He vowed that the court will bring to book the accused persons, serving justice to aggrieved victims of violence, as well as serving as deterrence to those that may be contemplating the commission of such crimes.

“Those detained were suspected of having committed major crimes for which the SSPDF has listed annexes of security general annually report on child and armed conflict,” he disclosed.

“Those 60 servicemen are from Infantry Division 1st, 2nd, 8th, and 10th and we have 19 detained in Renk town, 22 in Malakal, and 19 in Maluak-Chat,” he added.

“By doing so, the SSPDF is acting on its own Action Plan that provide key concrete, specific and time-bound commitment aim at preventing and responding to sexual violence in a holistic manner  through prevention, accountability, protection of victims  and witnesses and judicial action,” he further explained.

The army spokesman said the court will meet the requirement for SSPDF to be delisted from security general annual report on child and armed conflict

“This court will restore public confidence and trust in the SSPDF in fighting against impurity,” he added.