Ex-minister accuses Warrap governor of extrajudicial killings

JUBA – South Sudan’s former minister of humanitarian affairs and disaster management, Peter Mayen Majongdit, has accused the governor of the country’s Warrap State, General Kuol Muor Muor, of involvement in a series of extrajudicial killings.

Majongdit, a member of parliament and leader of the opposition People’s Liberal Party (PLP), made the allegations during a parliamentary session on Monday.

He claimed the governor had recently ordered the execution of a young boy and three other family members.

“I think there are several reports including of the late young men and three other family members that were found just in the market and they were actually executed without any judicial procedure,” Majongdit said.

Muor Muor had signed into law on February 21, 2024, a controversial document known as the “Green Book” that outlines punishments for crimes such as cattle raiding, revenge killings, forced marriage, rape, kidnapping, hate speech, and bribery.

It allows for the death penalty by firing squad in cases that may not meet the threshold of extreme severity as required under the Transitional Constitution’s Article 21.

This discrepancy between state legislation and national laws raises questions about the consistency of the legal framework in South Sudan.

Majongdit claimed that Governor Muor is carrying out extrajudicial killings using the February 21 Green Book.

“The violations, it is actually about executing or carrying on extrajudicial killing by the governor of Warrap State on the name of a law which is so-called the Green Book, of which I do or we do question the legality of this Green Book,” he said.

Majongdit said extrajudicial killing without a proper judicial procedure is considered a serious violation not only of the constitution but also of human rights.

“The constitution of the Republic of South Sudan calls for respect of the human rights and therefore, extrajudicial killing without a proper judicial procedure is considered to be serious violations and not only to the constitutions but also to the human rights,” he said.

He claimed that extrajudicial killings have been ongoing in the state and that the governor has overstepped his authority.

“So, my point is this, that the other house really seriously needs to look into this from the perspective that this is a violation against the constitution and our constitution gives right for every citizen to be hurt and so, this is an ongoing thing,” he said.

“An effect still remains that all laws are driven from the constitution of the Republic of South Sudan. Even the act and the law we make are driven from this constitution,” he concluded.