Local authorities in the Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA) said they had arrested three people for their alleged involvement in the abduction of five children from Central Equatoria and Eastern Equatoria states late last year.
Kelang Abraham, the GPAA Information minister, made the announcement Friday while speaking to Radio Tamazuj on the handover of five abducted children to Central Equatoria State authorities.
“On Friday morning, GPAA Deputy Chief Administrator Joseph John Abulla handed over four girls and one boy to the Central Equatoria State government. Those children were abducted over the last six months on the side of Mangalla by criminals from Pibor,” Kelang said. “As a government, we arrested three people from whom those children were recovered in Gumuruk county.”
The local official pointed out that the culprits have been tried and that they now await court verdicts.
“Two of the arrested individuals are with us in Pibor. They have been investigated and tried for abducting these five children in violation of recent bylaws passed by the Murle community, which calls for punishment of child abductors,” he said. “They will, therefore, be jailed for ten years and fined 45,000 SSP each as per the Murle customary laws. As per the other abductor, he will be taken care of by Juba. Abduction is a crime, and if need allow because our prisons are weak, these two abductees may be transferred to Juba so that they serve their sentences there.”
For his part, Joseph John Abulla, GPAA Deputy Chief Administrator, said his handover of the abductees is in line with the commitment by the GPAA to fighting off abduction.
“As a government, we declared war against abductors. Rescue missions for abductees have been ongoing in parts of the GPAA for months now. This resulted in the recovery of these four girls and a boy aged 4 to 16. Of the five, only one former abductee is from Eastern Equatoria. We handed them over to our Central Equatoria State counterparts on Friday so that they are united with their loved ones,” he said.
Radio Tamazuj could not immediately reach Central and Eastern Equatoria authorities for comment.