South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir said members of the army and police are to blame for surging crime rates at night in the capital and various areas in the country.

“Now crimes have increased and those people who are committing these crimes are you, the police, the army or other organized force. You have a bigger share to be blamed,” Kiir told senior police officers in Juba yesterday.

“Anybody involved in such crimes must be shot his the head…because now the rebellion in the country made many people to commit crime against the government because if someone was got, will run to the bush. Anybody who commits this, we will not leave them,” he added.

The South Sudanese leader pointed out that the recent crime committed by the organised forces was along the Juba-Nimule road, saying houses along the road at Moli area were destroyed and civilians’ belongings were robbed.

“Who did it? It is you because everybody passes through sees a solider at the top of the roof removing the house. Is that not a shame? You better stop it,” he said.

“All your uniforms are in the hands of the criminals. Where do they get them from? It is you who sell them to the criminals in the town here,” he added.

Several members of the organized forces have been complaining that they have not been paid for several months.

SPLA troops have been fighting against opposition groups since 2013.