A senior police officer briefed members of the National Legislative Assembly’s Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs Committee , highlighting that SSPDF generals have assumed the police’s duties in Juba City.

Brigadier General Samuel Wal has accused some senior SSPDF sector commanders of taking over the role of police by establishing detentions and courts to try suspects within Juba town, a statement army spokesperson Lul Ruai downplays.

This was during a visit by the committee to police custody across the city on Tuesday, May 28, 2024.

According to the officer, various sectors of the SSPDF have increasingly taken over the traditional roles of the police.

The sectors were previously managed through a collaborative effort involving the SSPDF, National Security, the Police, and other organized forces.

But General Wal says the situation has changed as the military-managed sectors have begun to operate beyond their intended purpose.

He accused them of conducting unauthorized detentions and arrests of civilians, setting up and holding court trials without proper legal authority, and engaging in the extortion of money from residents.

One troubling example Wal said, involved an organized sector in the Lonyi area, where generals have established a complex consisting of approximately 300 Tukuls, covering an area of about half a kilometre.

This sector is reportedly operating as a military administrative zone, yet acting in the role of police, creating confusion between military and civil jurisdictions.

During this visit, he detailed the extent of the SSPDF’s encroachment into police work and the adverse effects it is having on the communities.

“I went and visited the sector and I asked them who gave them the power to arrest. They denied it. I saw people who were arrested in custody and asked them why they didn’t take them to the police. He replied that they were only doing an investigation and would release them,” said Brig Gen Wal.

“I said to him, who gave you the authority to establish custody? You are supposed to work under the police and if there’s an issue, take them to the police,” he said.

“This is the army creating courts, arresting, and beating people. When a citizen comes and complains to us and asks us to intervene, because they took their money, motorbike, or phone, the army always refuses to return them.”

The General’s revelations highlight a growing crisis in Juba, where the military’s expanded role in civil affairs, undermined the authority of the police and possibly violated human rights.

In response to the allegations, the Spokesperson of SSPDF described the statement as a general accusation and urged the officer to specify the sectors.

General Lul Ruai urges proof of those extorting.

“That is a general accusation, let them come out with the given names of the general who they are accusing of extorting money from members of the public,” Gen Lul said.

“We have sector 4, we have sector 2, let whoever comes up with that statement be specific that in this sector run by general so and so there have been doing this extortion someone gets arrested and get the release after the payment of money,” he said.

“If they are generalizations like that it would be difficult to pinpoint and know exactly who is being accused of wrongdoing.”

However, the Chairperson of the Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs Committee Dr William Othwon says, they will comply a report of their visit and present it to the parliament for deliberation

“What we are going to do we have to give this report to and present it to the house to August house, so they will deliberate and discuss and they will come out with the results, what is good for the nation or for people who are there,” said Dr Othown.

“I cannot give any information about it, because this is what he said but we didn’t see these places. We are trying now to go and see them also is that these allegations are right or not,” he said.

“We cannot conclude by saying that what he said is right and also we can we are not dismissed by saying what he says is wrong because we did in those places.”