By Alex Digi
Some community leaders in Tambura County of Western Equatoria State on Monday in a press statement called on the Government to investigate the torturing of three boys.
According to the statement signed by Sabit Kornelio, the Balanda Chief in Tambura, Peter Bai Balanda Community and Felix Noya Balanda Community, on 9th August the National Security at the shop of Jorom Nvolo arrested him on allegation that he received money and ammunition in sacks from undisclosed source and distributing to rebels, on the process three people were arrested Basa Fude, William Bazia and Venasio Gasi, three people at night went through inhuman torture to unconsciousness (half-dead).
In the morning 10th August trader Jorom Nvolo went and presented himself to NS office with the contract he signed with NGO (World Vision) and later the trader and the three boys tortured were found innocent.
A letter signed by three Balanda Community leaders stated “as the Balanda chiefs in Tambura County, we condemn this kind of arbitrary arrest and human torturing, we call upon the county Government and our organized forces to use lawful procedures and method of investigating accused citizens for crimes committed and charge them according to the law if found guilty”.
“We call for proper and thorough investigation into this incident and bring the culprit to book, we regret the branding of the Balanda Community as rebel by enemies of Peace in Tambura and we call upon the County and State authorities to investigate the circumstances under which Balanda are regarded as rebels in Tambura” the Statement continued.
Speaking to No.1 Citizen Daily Newspaper on phone, the County Commissioner of Tambura Mathew Edward Mabenge confirmed the incident and said a committee will be formed to investigate the incident and whoever will be found guilty will face the law.
Mabenge called on the citizens to be calm as investigation will short out those who were involved in the civilians’ matter.
“After the treatment, because they are soldiers we will look at regulations and ethics of soldiers, we are going to form a committee to investigate to see who is guilty and who is not guilty so that they will be charged according to military law”.
Currently the three people who were tortured by the soldiers are receiving treatment in a commercial clinic in Yambio, meanwhile Balanda Community leaders said between 2018 and 2019 in Tambura, they lost 7 innocent Balanda Youth members in the hands of police where they were arrested at home, detained and tortured inhumanly at police cell and were collected at police and killed by request of an individual and the remains of the deceased were dumped in undisclosed locations where their bodies decomposed into soil.
They said as chiefs they remain committed to working with the county authority and the organized forces to ensure peace, unity and tranquillity in the County.