Aweil court convicts 31 youths over ‘immoral’ celebration of independence day

At least 31 young people mostly teenagers have been sentenced to different fines for engaging in what the police termed as immoral activities in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State, during the independence day celebrations.

The state police spokesperson, Captain Guot Guot Akol, said the youngsters were apprehended by officers on Tuesday in Zara residential area near Aweil Rice Scheme, following a tip from neighbors.

Akol said the juveniles including 23 boys and 8 girls were found wearing revealing clothes, and under the influence of alcohol and other drugs.

According to him, the way in which the youths celebrated the independence day was deemed as a potential harm public safety and order.

Following their arrest, they were reportedly charged with disorderly conduct in public place, in accordance with section 83 of the South Sudan penal code.

“We receive information from citizens that there were a group of teenagers involved in some immoral activities and we rushed to the scene and found them doing public disturbances and also doing some immoral activities,” he said in an interview with Eye Radio.

“We detained them and the following morning, which is the morning of Wednesday July 10, we sent them to court and they were tried the same day.”

A local court in Aweil then condemned the defendants to different fines ranging between 50,000–250,000 South Sudan pounds.

Those aged between 20 and 25 years have been fined 250,000 or one-year imprisonment if they fail to pay the fine.

Meanwhile, some of the youngsters aged 15 to 20 years were slapped with fines ranging from 50,000 to 100,000 pounds, or a six-month jail term in the case of non-payment.

The police spokesperson also called on parents and guardians to monitor their children’s use of the internet and movements from home to school.