A Bench Court in the Jonglei State capital, Bor town, on Wednesday sentenced 31 members of gang groups known as ‘Niggers’ to a one-year jail term and an SSP 100, 000 fine each for terrorizing the town.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Friday, Peter Jok Manyang, the court’s chairperson, said the 31 convicts were among a group of 35 youth arrested by the police on Tuesday on charges of possession of weapons, illicit drug consumption, and immorality, among other offenses.
“In the state, there is a 6 pm to 5 am curfew within the city center, possession of weapons is banned, and consumption of illicit drugs like bhangi (marijuana) and mairungi is also banned,” he said. “So, it is on these charges that we found 31 of the 35 people arrested by the police guilty. Of the convicts, there is a woman with an 8-month-old baby.”
According to the court official, the verdict was passed under a provisional order by the state council of ministers.
“Due to the rising gang violence in Bor, the council of ministers passed a provisional order to curb the activities of niggers. For example, those arrested for the first, second, and third times are charged SSP 100 000, SSP 200, 000 and SSP 500, 000 respectively. This is where we got powers to convict these 31 youth including 4 ladies, aged between 18 and 27,” Jok said. “This trend in Bor is worrying. Some of these convicts were arrested in a place they named ‘Sodom and Gomora’ where immorality takes place.”
“So, I call on parents to cooperate with us in curbing such vices,” he added.
On his part, Gen. Elia Costa Faustino, the state police commissioner, confirmed that gang violence is indeed on the rise in Bor which is worrying.
“In Bor, there is a rise in the activities of niggers and there are 8 such groups with names like West Coast, Great Warriors, and Orginal Gangs, among other names. These groups are becoming a threat in the state,” he said. So, the police in collaboration with the state security committee and municipality launched a crackdown leading to the arrest of more than 35 people.”
The state police chief pointed out that the crackdown will continue until Bor is pacified and called on the public to join in the fight against crimes.
Meanwhile, Bior Ajang Jaden, an activist with local NGO Ataka Hubs, lauded the crackdown as a game-changer.
“If those arrested were screened such that only criminals are behind bars, then it is not bad. This will change society because these guys (gangs) have been threatening the lives of civilians,” he said. “Some of these boys could be lawyers, teachers, and doctors. So, disciplining them within the confines of our laws is a good move.”