The Commander of Police Sector One in Juba is encouraging willing former Lologo gang groups who signed a peace pact a week ago to register and join the law enforcement agency, adding they are no longer criminals.

Last week, about sixteen gang groups in Juba signed an agreement among themselves to avoid creating disturbances in Greater Lologo area.

They also resolved and agreed to cease looting, theft, banditry, threat and adhere to the country’s constitution and rule of law while enabling a free and conducive environment for the residents.

The 16 gang groups further reiterate their commitment to refrain from riot and express full respect for members of each group, respect authorities and abide by the law.

Brigadier General Joseph Chour Mach encourages the willing youths to voluntarily register and become members of the organized forces.

“Your no longer considered criminals you are friends to the police. I am going to tell my forces that the youths in Lologo are now law abiding people, and am going to move with you so that you are not arrested anyhow, said Chuor after the signing of the agreement at Multipurpose Training Center at the weekend.

“I said earlier that those who are ready to join, the paper is there, you can register your names and I will take to the IGP so that your trained and become a person of the law.

General Chuor also appealed young people who are still indulging in gangsterism to stop and become law abiding citizens.

“If you have your friends who are still fighting tell them in Lologo we are for peace,” he added.

The director of community policing Brigadier General Saleh Salem has echoed similar call to those still in fear of police arrest come out and declare they are no longer going to engage in the criminal behavior while assuring them of their safety.

“I took some of you to our 77 police office, and they went back to Lologo with any of them being arrested.

“I know someone said that when people are in uniform, we fear. I want to tell you that as the community police we work with the people to ensure the country is safe.”

However, after signing the document, some of the ex-gangs appealed to the government and development partners to enroll them to vocational training programs.

Others said they need continues engagement in peace programs such as sports for peace to prevent them from returning to the group again.

  Who the gang groups were, and what they commit to do

The groups that signed the document include the Black West 666, Freedom gangs, Rebel Boys, Never broke Boys, Black Stones Boys, Black street Boys, Wrong boys and Soldier Boys.

Others are the California Gangs, Three Stones, Hustle Gangs, Young West, Young Money, Three Six Mafia, New Boys Gangs, 74 Gangs (also known as the Outlaws), and 62 Gangs which is a branch of Wrong boys.

The coalition of gangsters agreed to implement the Code of Honour they signed – declaring that any person who intentional commit murder shall be published under article 206 of the South Sudan Penal code of 2008.

They also agreed to refrain from voluntarily causing harm or hurt each other without provocation saying those who violates shall be punished in accordance with article 232 of the penal code.

The agreement they signed states that any member of the gang groups found guilty of theft shall be punished in accordance with article 293, robbery and article 305 of the penal code respectively.

Others include the continues act committed by several persons of common intension shall be delt with under article 48 and public nuisance article 177 among others.