The inspector General of the South Sudan National Police Service, Gen. Atem Marol Biar, on Wednesday, reiterated the police’s commitment to continue arresting individuals involved in illegal forex trading in the black market.

The police chief who was addressing a press conference said that during the last operation, they arrested several people who were selling dollars in the black market after the governor of Central Equatoria State, Emmanuel Adil, issued an order, which is still in force, banning the practice.

“I had a meeting with the governor of the central bank and he told me that their price of the dollar was SSP 158 at the time but the black market dealers were selling at 250. They added more than SSP 100 extra and that is why we captured them,” he said. “My message today (Wednesday) is that we have the same mandate and the standing order of Governor Adil has not expired. Any order is not subject to renewal until it is revoked. The governor is the representative of the president in the state and head of security in the state and when he issues an order, that is it until he decides to withdraw it. So, we shall continue implementing the order.” 

Gen. Marol said there will be joint operations involving all the armed forces because most of the illegal currency dealers are soldiers.

“The operation which took place in Juba was a joint operation involving several departments of the police, army, and National Security Service (NSS) because most of the people involved in selling dollars in the black market are soldiers,” he explained. “So, if the operation is left to the police, we may clash with members of the other organized forces so that is why we had joint operations. This is so that if we arrest armed forces, they will be handled by their units.”

The police chief also revealed that a lawmaker at the National Legislature whom he did not name accused of targeting his constituents who are involved in the forex trade.

“There was a young member of parliament who tried to abuse me over the people who were arrested for selling dollars in the black market and said I was targeting people from his home area,” he clarified. “We did not target people from any particular area but arrested citizens of South Sudan who were selling dollars in the black market.”

On the issue of arresting gang members, commonly referred to a niggers, in Juba City, Gen. Marol said some people tried to sabotage the program but that it turned out to be a success.

“When he carried out operations against niggers (gangs), some people were interfering but we continued and it was one of the most successful operations. It succeeded because some organizations like UNICEF came in and provided some support to the gang members we arrested,” he enlightened. “UNICEF also went to the University of Juba and hired 20 graduates to help with dealing with the gang members in areas of social concern at a center. Each graduate was given 10 youths to talk to and mentor so that they could transform. UNICEF also provided food, bedding, and other materials to these boys and those who are underage are being taken to different schools.”  

He said some people, including senior officers from the armed forces and government, even took their difficult children to him to take to the center.

“When we were arresting the niggers, people tried to sabotage and they wanted to see these gangs killing people,” Gen. Marol stated. “These niggers even started granting permission for people to hold functions. We cannot allow this.”

He also revealed that the police will soon crack down on robbers in Juba because they have a list of their names.