Division 4 commander Gen. Ruai Tap arrested over ‘preventable’ death of Mayom commissioner

JUBA — The commander of fourth infantry division of South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF), Maj. Gen. Kerbino Ruai Tap, and his military intelligence chief, Brigadier General Kugar Yaar, have this morning been arrested and flown to the capital Juba, security sources at Bilpam said.

The arrest comes days after a deadly attack on Mayom town in Unity State left at least 12 people dead including the county commissioner Maj. Gen. Chuol Gatluak Manimeh.

Chuol was the elder brother of presidential security advisor Tut Gatluak Manimeh.

Speaking to Sudans Post, a security source at Bilpam said Gen. Ruai was arrested in Bentiu and brought to Juba by force on Tuesday afternoon and is to remain under a house confinement until the government find circumstances leading to death of Mayom commissioner.

“Yes it is true. General Kerbino Ruai Tap was arrested in Bentiu, Baar, in the morning and now he has been put under house arrest here in Juba and he has been told to remain there until when the investigation into the death of commissioner is completed,” he said.

The source also said Brigadier General Kugar Yaar, the chief of military intelligence for division four, was also flown to Juba along with Gen. Ruai and are told to stay in their houses.

“Also, Brigadier General Kugar Yaar who is the military intelligence commander of SSPDF division in Bentiu has also been brought to Juba with him (Gen. Ruai) and this is what has happened,” he added.

He said that authorities in Unity State in collaboration with the national government lunched an investigation into the killing of the Mayom county commissioner and that General Ruai and the military intelligence commander “are being accused of negligence because the army believes that the death of General Chuol Gatluak could have been prevented.”