By Chol Makol Riak
At least 15 gang members who escaped from prison have been allegedly re-arrested.
Last month, more than twenty gang members escaped from prison in Malual-chat army garrison after being given a master key to unchain themselves and escaped.
Thereafter authorities, rearrested twenty people including two police officers accused of coordinating the escape of over 20 gang members from prison in Jonglei State.
Brig. General Ajak Ayuen Mach, head of joint operation conducting the crackdown said they have rearrested fifteen escapees.
“We have arrested fifteen of those escapees who escaped from Malual-Chat army garrison and fifteen of them are still pending” Ajak said.
He added that the person who took the master key to prison is still under detention adding that investigations are underway while details are yet to be disclosed.
Brig Gen. Ajak, stressed that the suspects are yet to be arraigned in court, it is the responsibility of State Authorities.
“We were authorized by State Authorities to rescue the residents from this gangs who were terrorizing the area but their arraignment in court is for state authorities, so we are here to detain them until state authorities arraigned for court trials” he said.
He however dismissed allegation from the community that the forces conducting operation harass young women and girls for wearing short and tinny clothing.
“We haven’t harassed any woman, what we do is whenever we see such women we advised them to change such clothing because they can lead to increment of violence such as rapping” Brig Gen. Ayuen said.
He advised the communities in Jonglei State to cooperate with join operation to ease the ongoing exercise.
Last month, Jonglei State government launched a crackdown on gang members for allegedly causing insecurity through robbery, theft, looting, masterminding and many other kinds of violence in the State Capital Bor.
The exercise led to the arrest of over 100 members of gang groups and were detained.