Three members of a gang have been apprehended for allegedly defiling a 14-year-old teenager in the Eastern Equatoria State capital, Torit, authorities confirmed.

On 3 March, one of the gang members reportedly lured the girl from her home and delivered her to his group which then assaulted, held her down, and defiled her. This incident prompted a swift investigation by the police, resulting in the arrest of three suspects. A fourth suspect is on the run and is being hunted.  

The Torit Municipal Council recently raised an alarm about the prevalent gang activity in the town which has witnessed acts of violence such as assault, mutilation, and intimidation of residents.

Torit Mayor Mustafa Albino Zachariah told Radio Tamazuj Tuesday that the three suspects are currently in police custody awaiting trial and emphasized that security measures have been heightened in the town to check gang activity.

“We have identified and apprehended three individuals involved in the assault on the girl. Our security personnel conducted thorough investigations, leading to the arrest of two suspects initially,” he explained. “One of them was responsible for luring the girl from her family home under pretenses, subsequently delivering her to a group of boys involved in the crime. A third suspect was also arrested later while another remains at large.”

Mayor Albino added: “However, we have successfully detained three out of the four individuals involved, and they will face legal consequences.”

He confirmed that the victim, who he did not name, is a 14-year-old teenage girl.

For her part, Warrant Officer Betty Konyo who serves at the Police Gender Desk in Torit Central Division, confirmed that three suspects are currently in police custody awaiting trial. She revealed that the Police Gender Desk has recorded four rape cases between February and March, a concerning trend.

“The three suspects currently in custody were involved in manhandling the victim, while the other two suspects directly perpetrated the assault. This categorizes the incident as gang rape,” she said. “While we have apprehended those involved in manhandling the victim, the perpetrators who carried out the assault are still at large.”

 “The frequency of rape cases has surged this month and last month, with an increase in both urban and rural areas, however, most of the suspects involved in these cases are now in police custody,” Warrant Officer Konyo added.

Meanwhile, Elizabeth Ihari, a women’s rights activist in Eastern Equatoria State, strongly condemned the disturbing act of defilement and called on the government to ensure that the perpetrators are held accountable.

“I condemn this appalling act because the individuals involved are our children. We cannot tolerate such behavior among our youth. However, now that they have been apprehended, it is vital that our laws are rigorously enforced,” she stated. “We must ensure that justice is served to prevent such incidents from recurring. I commend the government for apprehending the perpetrators.”

“Everyone must work together to protect our children from such harm,” she emphasized.

Dominica Idwa, Director General of the Eastern Equatoria State Ministry of Gender, Child, and Social Welfare, declined to comment on the matter when contacted.