Army downplays EU sanctions on ex-rebel commander

JUBA – South Sudan army on Tuesday downplayed European Union sanctions imposed on former rebel commander who is now a member of the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) saying the general is a ‘typical’ guerrilla commander who has no bank account or relations with European Union countries.

On Monday, the EU imposed tough sanctions on General Moses Lokujo including travel ban to the EU countries for alleged involvement in grave human rights abuses or arbitrary executions and killings in Kajo-Keji area of Central Equatoria State.

Lokujo is a former SPLA-IO commander who defected to join the government in September last year. He gave a four-day ultimatum to opposition forces under going training as part of the revitalized peace agreement to vacate the cantonment area before attacking them.

Several civilians were either killed or displaced following days of continued attack on SPLA-IO positions at the Morotto training Centre.

Speaking to Sudans Post this morning, acting army spokesman Brigadier-General Santo Domic Chol said General Lokujo is a typical SSPDF officer without a bank account in Juba and anywhere, saying sanctioning him has no impact.

“I don’t know what is going to be the impact because the impact has to be with somebody who has bank account outside the country, somebody who may be having some asset outside the country, he (Lokujo) is just typical guerilla officer who have no bank account even in Juba,” he told Sudans Post during an interview in Juba.

General Lokujo who has since been accused of killing three officers of the SPLA-IO who were abducted and executed on his orders in May 2020 has insisted that the SPLA-IO has no forces in the area.

The Joint Defense Board (JDB), a peace body comprising opposition and government commanders later condemned his move, but no action has however been taken.